Southwest Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 6 bell pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 onion diced
- 2 lbs beef ground, lean
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano dried
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 28 oz tomato
- 1 cup cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring chicken stock to boil over medium heat. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside.
- Prepare the bell peppers. Cut each pepper in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Heat a frying pan on the stove over medium heat. Add remaining 1 tsp olive oil and diced onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking apart large pieces in the pan with a wooden spoon. Drain any excess fat out of the pan before continuing. Add chili powder, garlic, onion powder, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add in crushed tomatoes and stir in cooked quinoa. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Fill each pepper half with ground beef filling and top with a sprinkle of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until peppers are soft and cheese is melted.
Notes
Nutrition
Southwest Stuffed Peppers is one of my go to recipes – it’s so easy and packed with flavor, I think we made it at
least 20 times within the first month of COVID-19 quarantine.
Ground beef is an incredible source of healthy fat with 51% of the beef fat composition
being monounsaturated fats, the same fat which is found in avocados and olive oil. Beef is a
great source of high-quality protein supplying all the essential amino acids and 10 essential
nutrients in just a 3 oz serving. These nutrients include specific B-vitamins found only in animal
products (such as Vitamin B-12), zinc, and iron – all to support human body strength and are
incredibly beneficial for an athletic lifestyle for people of all stages. Beef has gotten a bad rap for
far too long – if you want to learn more about beef and all the benefits you can gain from
including it in your diet, head over to Beef – It’s What’s for Dinner.
Now to the base – bell peppers. One of our favorite vegetables, not only because they are
packed with bright colors but because they are also stuffed full of nutrients. Bell peppers are rich
in Vitamin A to improve vision and have over 150% of the recommended daily intake of
Vitamin C which increases the function of the immune system.
Finally, let’s take a look at this combination of spices. Cumin has been shown to help
improve digestion, support blood sugar management, improve markers of heart health and
contain antibacterial properties. Chili powder is an anti-inflammatory that can decrease swelling
in sore joints to help with osteoarthritis, settle the stomach and build immunity.
So now you see why we love this recipe so much that we made it on repeat – and once
you try it, you’ll love the flavor so much you might find yourself making it on repeat too!
Did you know that this recipe is featured in our new cookbook?
NOURISHED: 10 Ingredients to Happy Healthy Eating
Klara Knezevic is a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Maryland. She has over a decade of experience in the nutrition field and currently serves as the CEO and co-owner of Rebecca Bitzer and Associates, one of the largest nutrition private practices in the country. Klara is passionate about sharing practical nutrition tips to help you feel confident in the choices that you make. Coauthor ofCooking with Food Sensitivities Survival GuideandNourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating.
