Recipe: Taco Stuffed Peppers

These would be great on a smaller scale as finger foods for a party!

{Click here for the recipe}

This recipe makes enough for a family of four, but the taco meat freezes beautifully if you are cooking for fewer.  You can also make individual servings for freezing or eat it for leftovers.  This is one of those recipes that tastes better the next day anyways.  

INGREDIENTS:
20 oz. ground turkey
2 cups salsa
6-8 bell peppers (any color is fine, but I love the red ones!)
1 can black beans
Reduced fat/ fat free sour cream or fat free plain Greek yogurt
Reduced fat cheese (amount is up to you, add for your taste)
Tomatoes (amount is up to you, add for your taste)
Olives(amount is up to you, add for your taste)
1 Tbsp. chili powder 

1/4 tsp. garlic powder 
1/4 tsp. onion powder 
1/4 tsp. paprika

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 
1 tsp. sea salt 
Black pepper to taste


1.   Mix taco seasoning 

      (don't use pre-packaged seasoning from the store -- it has flour and chemicals in it):

      1 Tbsp. chili powder 
      1/4 tsp. garlic powder 
      1/4 tsp. onion powder 
      1/4 tsp. paprika

      1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 
      1 tsp. sea salt 
      Black pepper to taste

(*TIP: Make several portions ahead of time to reduce prep time. Use about 1/4 cup seasoning per 20 oz. of turkey)

2.     Brown 20 oz lean ground turkey (the leaner the meat, the more you can have!).
        Drain the fat from the ground turkey.
        Reduce heat to low.

3.     Add about 1/3 cup water and the taco seasoning (from step #1) to the cooked ground turkey.  
        Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

4.     Add 2 cups salsa.
        Add 1 can black beans (optional)
        Simmer uncovered 5 minutes. 
        The turkey mixture is done!

5. Cut the bell peppers from top to bottom to make little cups (usually 4 cups per bell pepper).
    Cook them skin up on the grill.  I just used a flat pancake pan, but they are excellent on the BBQ!
Serve with:
Reduced fat/ fat free sour cream or fat free plain Greek yogurt
Reduced fat cheese
Tomatoes
Olives

(TIP: This makes great leftovers for lunch the next day!)

**If you are following the health program I coach, measure the ingredients and put it on your plate so that you only eat the right amounts of each food for your lean and green:
      Turkey:
            >98% lean: 5.25 oz. turkey mixture (Add 2 healthy fats during the day)
            95-97% lean: 4.5 oz. turkey mixture (Add 1 healthy fat during the day)
            85-94% lean: 3.75 oz. turkey mixture (Do not add any healthy fat)
            (= 3/4 lean protein, 2 condiments) 
      1 oz. reduced fat/ non-fat cheese (= 1/4 lean protein)
      1 tsp. fat free sour cream (= 1 condiment)
            OR 1/4 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt and adjust your other protein (= 1/4 lean protein)       149 g. red bell peppers (= 2 veggie servings) 
      1/2 cup diced tomatoes (= 1 veggie serving) (If you don't like tomatoes, add 74.5 g red bell peppers)

HEALTH PROGRAM TOTALS: 1 meal on the program I coach and 3 condiments

Do you know someone that is ready to get healthy?  I can help! 

Email me at HealthyandFitLife@gmail.com.