Recipe: Healthy stuffed rainbow peppers
Winning Oregon recipe from”The 2014 Health Lunchtime Challenge Kids’ ‘State Dinner’ Cookbook,” courtesy of Epicurious.
Recipe submitted by 12-year old Grace Wetzler of Oregon: “My lunch is a variety of color, flavor, and fun. Looking down at the plate it is like a rainbow,” says Grace. “I am a strong believer that a meal should look good and taste good. It should please your eyes and your stomach. This was an easy lunch I whipped up in no time.” Grace likes to finish the meal with Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey.
Ingredients for peppers:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 4 medium bell peppers, tops removed and seeded
- Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top
- Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for the couscous:
- 1 box of Israeli couscous
- 1 (16-ounce) container low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 1/2 cups spinach, chopped
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions to make the stuffed peppers:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a large sauté pan, warm the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the turkey is cooked. Add in the basil.
- Stuff the peppers and sprinkle cheese on top. Season with salt and pepper. Place the peppers in a 9-by-9-inch baking pan and bake for 20 minutes.
Directions to make the couscous:
- In a large saucepan, cook the couscous with the broth according to the directions. Add the beans and tomatoes and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Meantime, put the spinach in a large bowl. Pour the couscous on top of the spinach and stir it in gently. Add in the cheese and stir once more. Serve with the stuffed peppers.
Nutrition information:
Makes eight servings, 392 calories, 10g fat, 40g carbohydrates, 27g protein
