Stuffed Bell Peppers

As I was flipping through my cookbooks, desperately searching for something tasty to get us out of the current food rut we’re in, I stumbled upon an old favorite: Stuffed Bell Peppers. I offered it up as a suggestion for our dinner menu and got the thumbs-up. As I perused the recipe, I realized that our way of eating has changed quite a bit since I last made them. Namely, we very rarely eat beef anymore and I don’t remember the last time we ate white rice.

Then my brain began to churn. How could I revamp this recipe so that it’s more in line with our better eating habits? First, I’d swap beans for beef, and brown rice for white rice. Second, I decided not to boil the peppers first in order to keep as many nutrients as I could. Not going to salt them either. No need. And, third, I’m definitely using real cheese instead of American. Ok, I thought, this might work. (Please keep in mind that I prefer to use fresh rather than canned items, but I also kind of did this on the fly and used what I had on hand.) Here’s what I came up with:

• 4 large bell peppers, any color
• 3/4 cup diced sweet onion
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
• 14.5 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2/3 cup organic brown rice
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 cup finely shredded Colby jack cheese

In a skillet, lightly sauté onion and garlic in about a teaspoon of olive oil on lower heat to soften them. Stir in black beans, undrained tomatoes, uncooked rice, basil and marjoram, Worcestershire sauce, salt and/or pepper to taste, and about 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender. While the mixture is cooking, wash and cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, removing the stems, seeds, and membranes. Arrange the peppers in a 9 x 13 pan. When the rice mixture is done, remove from heat and stir in about 1/2 cup of cheese until it’s melted. Scoop the mixture into the peppers, top with remaining cheese, and bake in a 375° oven for about 15 minutes. Let them stand a minute or two, then serve. Makes 8.

If you need less, cut the recipe in half – or keep it as-is and you’ll have easy leftovers! For some extra zing, you can sprinkle a little hot sauce on your pepper (we like Cholula or Tapatío) and my daughter likes a tiny dollop of sour cream. Have some fun with it. Maybe substitute vegetable broth for the water or try different spices. This recipe has some room for experimentation. Let me know what you think!

Happy eating!

Original recipe: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, 10th Edition

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