Low-Carb Stuffed Green Peppers

Here we go!!! The first of what I hope will be many entries in this...my new food blog!!! My approach to recipes, is to research a number of different cookbooks and on-line sites, look over the various approaches and then using my own culinary knowledge, come up with a simple and delicious recipe that is easy for people to make themselves. I plan to share these recipes with you as well as menu-planning, every day cook tips, entertaining ideas, and low-carb variations. Whether you like to cook or not, we all like to eat, and I want to encourage you to try new things and hope to help you have many kitchen successes which will inspire you to keep cooking!!


Tonight I made a classic, Stuffed Green Peppers...I try to make use of produce that is in season since it tastes so great and is typically less expensive. We belong to a produce co-op group and received some fantastic-looking peppers this weekend, so I wanted to make sure I took advantage of it!!!



Heather's Stuffed Green Peppers

4 large green peppers (you could certainly substitute another color)
1-1 1/4 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup cooked rice (we use brown rice)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
1/2 - 3/4 c. thawed frozen corn or fresh (optional)
1 teaspoon Chili Powder

14 oz. can plain tomato sauce (not pasta sauce)
Worcestershire Sauce
Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic (you may use Garlic Powder)
Lemon juice
Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

Begin by cleaning the peppers...rinse off the outside of the peppers and then carefully cut around the top of each of the peppers so that you will be able to just lift the top off and most all of the seeds will come out with it. Drop each of the peppers into a pot of boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. (This is just long enough to soften it slightly and start the release of some of the peppers fantastic seasoning juices). Remove the peppers and rinse with cold water, then turn upside down on a piece of paper towel to allow any excess water to escape.

While peppers are cooling, saute ground beef and chopped onion in a pan until beef is no longer pink and onions are clear...drain meat of any rendered fat. Add 2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce, 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Garlic seasoning,1/2 teaspoon of Seasoned Salt, 1 teaspoon Chili Powder, cooked rice and 3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese to meat mixture and combine thoroughly.

In a bowl, combine tomato sauce, with 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 2 Tablespoons of Splenda Brown Sugar Blend.

Add approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cup of tomato sauce blend to the meat mixture until it looks moist.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and place green peppers in 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish, fill each pepper with meat mixture until just full to the rim of the pepper. Bake peppers uncovered at 350 for 25 minutes...then add the remaining 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese to sprinkle on the top of each pepper and bake 5 minutes further at 350.

Serves 4.

***COOK'S TIP*** When making your rice, try cooking your rice in broth/stock instead of water...it makes for much better tasting rice. I used beef broth in this particular recipe, but often times I will use chicken stock.

VARIATIONS - depending on your family's preferences, you could certainly change this up to give it more spice by increasing the amount of chili powder used, or add a few green chilis to the meat mixture. This could be made into more of an Italian style dish by adding Italian Seasonings, like oregano or a blend, instead of Chili Powder and using mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar.