INGREDIENTS:
- 4 bell peppers, large
- 2 cups cauliflower, riced
- 2T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Pinch of salt plus 1/2 tsp, divided
- Pinch of fresh ground pepper plus 1/4 tsp, divided
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1 pound extra lean organic beef, ground (can use turkey, chicken or your favorite meat substitute!)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 (8oz) can of tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella, shredded
PREPARATION:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice off stem ends of bell peppers. Cut the flesh from the stem and chop. You should have about 1 cup. Scoop out seeds from the pepper cavities. Bring about an inch of water to a boil in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Steam the peppers until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Remove the peppers from the pot and set aside.
- Pulse cauliflower in a food processor until broken down into rice-size pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cauliflower rice and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
- Wipe out the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the chopped bell pepper and onion. Cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add beef, garlic, oregano and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon just until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and the cauliflower rice; stir to coat.
- Place the peppers upright in an 8-inch square baking dish. Fill each pepper with a generous 1 cup of the cauliflower rice mixture. Top each pepper with 2 tablespoons cheese.
- Bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes.
NUTRITIONAL FACTS:
Serving Size: 1 Stuffed Pepper
374 calories, fat 22g, sat fat 7g, chol 83mg, sodium 522mg, carbs17g, fiber 4g, sugar 7g; protein 29g
Reference: www.eatingwell.com
