Gillian’s Southwestern Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers

Gillian’s Southwestern Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers 

Looking for an easy, delicious, extremely nutritious one-pan meal that you can make in 30 minutes that will make a full week’s worth of lunches or a spectacular dinner to feed a large family?  Better yet, this recipe is packed with lean protein, low in fat, high in fiber, and rich in vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytochemicals!  

Ingredients:

3lbs 93% lean ground turkey or ground beef

3 brightly colored bell peppers (red, orange and yellow suggested) diced

1 large onion diced

3 cups spinach

1 can black beans drained

1 can diced tomatoes drained

1 small can diced green chilies drained

Seasoning mix:

2 Tablespoons chipotle chili pepper

½ tablespoon salt

½ tablespoon ground black pepper

½ tablespoon garlic powder

½ tablespoon oregano

½ tablespoon crushed red pepper

*All of the above spice quantities can be altered to fit personal taste or omitted

Directions:

1. Sautee the 3lbs of ground meat in a very large pan until cooked through, mix in the seasoning mix when it’s nearly done then drain off excess water and fat (I like a nonstick cooking pan for ease as it eliminates the need for an extra cooking fat).
   
2. Add in diced onions, diced bell peppers, green chilies, and diced tomatoes and cook stirring frequently for 4 minutes.
3. Place spinach on top and let it wilt by covering the pan and continuing to cook for 2-3 more minutes then remove lid and mix spinach in. 
4. Add can of black beans, stir in and cook for 3-4 more minutes 
5. Drain excess fluid by pouring through a colander

• This is the fastest, simplest method of incorporating all ingredients. If you prefer, you can pre-cook the peppers and onions in a separate pan. After preparing it both ways, I have found no significant difference in flavor or quality of the final product. 

This recipe will yield somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-8 servings depending on serving size.

Ways to serve:

1. For the carb-conscious, this can be eaten straight from a bowl or in lettuce wraps
2. In tortillas and rolled like a burrito
3. Over a cup of rice
4. Over a baked potato

For even more flavor consider adding a tablespoon or two of shredded cheese and/or avocado slices to top any of the above!

Nutritionals:

The entire recipe combined if made with 93% lean ground turkey yields:

2,250 calories

121 grams of carbohydrate

59 grams of fat

312 grams of protein

If divided into 6 large servings, each serving would provide:

375 calories

20 grams of carbohydrate

10 grams of fat

52 grams of protein

*Remember this is for the South Western Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers only, not the rice, tortillas or potatoes 

One serving over a cup of white rice would yield:

585 calories

69 grams of carbs

10 grams of fat

56 grams of protein 

This recipe is excellent reheated and stores well in both the refrigerator and freezer. It’s so yummy that you’d be happy to eat it every day for lunch for the whole week!