A Better Bag of Groceries

Cooking With Catherine Katz: Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Monday, January 31, 2011 at 07:27 AM

Can I just say how much I love Catherine Katz?  She is the best!  Last week, as I had one of my busiest weeks ever, she was simply incredible – sending me a ready-to-go recipe for all of you with photos and everything!  I really did have a lot on my plate (pun intended) with big NuVal  meetings to prep for, another snowstorm that would throw our schedule out of whack, and a baby shower being held at our house on the weekend, with family coming in from five different states!  I think Catherine could sense my stress level rising all the way from Connecticut.  She really knows how to help a girlfriend out!  So, I am turning this blog today right over to the fabulous Catherine Katz, Ph. D.!

Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers

I absolutely LOVE to make this recipe for my family because it’s one of those sneak-everything-that’s-good-for-you-in-one-single-dish type of dish!

This recipe came to me on one of those busy crazy hectic days (are there any other  kind?) when I had all the ingredients on hand to make fajitas (very popular in our household), but the thought of getting out all those pans for each of the ingredients and doing all those dishes afterwards intimidated me.  So, I thought, why not combine it all in one dish?  And so there it was!

For the nutrition Mom in me (as well as for my nutrition guru of a hubby!),  this recipe has it all: lean protein, beans, whole grains, veggies and even a little dairy on top…does it get any better than that? For the kids, they just love the combo of the ground turkey and the refried beans mixed in because it just makes the filling so creamy. As for the bulgur wheat, they don’t even know it’s there.  Add to that, a little bubbly cheese on top and YUM are they happy!

Ingredients

4 red or yellow bell peppers (NuVal score of 96)

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (NuVal score of 11)

1 clove garlic, minced (NuVal score of 91)

8 ounces lean ground turkey (NuVal score of 33)

1 can (15 ounces) fat-free refried beans (NuVal score of 56 for Carlita Fat Free Refried Beans)

1 1/2 cups mild salsa (NuVal score of 32 for Newman’s Own Chunky Roasted Garlic Salsa)

3/4 cup cooked bulgur wheat* (NuVal score of 93 for Hodgson Mill Bulgur Wheat with Soy)

1/4 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese  (NuVal score of 23 for Sargento Part Skim Mozzarella)                   

* Boil 1 cup of water in a small pan, then add ½ cup of dry bulgur wheat. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn off the stove and cover for 5 minutes.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

1. Rinse and dry the peppers. Slice off the tops, remove the cores and seeds, and place in a baking pan.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
3. Add the beans, salsa, and cooked bulgur and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until bubbly.

Stuff each pepper with 1/4 of the stuffing and top with 1/4 of the cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, then broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is sizzling and golden.

Photo courtesy of Catherine Katz

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