Stuffed Peppers

Lean ground turkey makes a moist, low-fat substitute for the ground beef that's usually found in stuffed pepper filling. To add a nutty flavor and boost the nutrition even further, we call for cooked brown rice, but this recipe will also work with white rice.

4 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

4 large green bell peppers
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce, (1 cup), divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt, (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut out stem ends of bell peppers and discard. Scoop out seeds. Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot and blanch the peppers until tender-crisp, about 1 minute. Drain and cool under cold running water. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add turkey and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, just until it loses its pink color, about 2 minutes. Drain the fat.
Transfer the turkey mixture to a medium bowl and mix in rice, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, parsley, salt (if using) and pepper. Stuff the peppers with the mixture and place them in a 2-quart casserole dish. Spoon the remaining 1/2 cup tomato sauce over the peppers. Cover and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through, 30 to 35 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 307 calories; 10 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 65 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 6 g fiber; 385 mg sodium; 588 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (230% daily value), Iron & Vitamin A (20% dv), Potassium (17% dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 3 lean meat