Stuffed peppers made with beef and full-fat cheese can have more than 500 calories a serving. This vegetarian makeover, which cuts the calories and saturated fat, is delicious and easy to prepare.
RECIPE
(Serves: 4)
4 medium red bell peppers
2 cups cooked white or brown rice
One 15-ounce can vegetarian baked beans (undrained)
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
½ cup salsa
½ cup packed fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
½ cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cut each bell pepper in half, lengthwise. Remove the seeds and ribs, leaving the stems intact. Set aside.
3. Place the rice, beans, corn, salsa, and cilantro in a large bowl and stir to combine. Fill each of the pepper halves with the rice and bean mixture (a generous ½ cup per pepper half).
4. Arrange the peppers in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the peppers are tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Return to the oven until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
Talking Point: Each serving has nearly a day’s worth of vitamin A and over 200% of your daily requirement for vitamin C. Your immune system will thank you!
Nutrition Information Serving size: (2 halves) Calories: 310 Fat: 4.5g Saturated fat: 2g Unsaturated fat: 2g Carbohydrates: 58g Sodium: 650mg Fiber: 9g Protein: 12g