Healthy Halloween: Jack-o-peppers

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
• 1 (8 ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 4 large orange bell peppers

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add beef, salt and pepper; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, just until it loses its pink color, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in rice, ¾ cup tomato sauce and parsley.
3. Meanwhile, cut out stem ends of bell peppers and set aside; scoop out seeds. With a sharp paring knife, cut out a jack-o’-lantern face on one side of each pepper. Place the peppers and tops, cut-side down, in a microwave-safe pie pan. Add ¼ cup water. Microwave on High until tender but firm, 4 to 6 minutes. Empty the water from the dish and turn the peppers cut-side up.
4. Stuff the peppers with the beef mixture. Spoon the remaining ¼ cup tomato sauce over the peppers. Bake until the mixture is heated through, 20 to 25 minutes. Place the steamed tops back on top of the peppers.

Tips

• To make ahead: Refrigerate filling (Step 2) for up to 2 days. Continue with recipe.
• Don’t feel like freehand-carving the faces with a knife? Try using a cookie cutter instead. 

Nutrition Information

Yield:

4 jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers

Amount Per Serving (1 stuffed pepper):

Calories: 383kcal

Carbohydrates: 33g

Protein: 27g

Cholesterol: 74mg

Sodium: 933mg

Fiber: 4g

Calcium: 48mg 

Iron: 4mg 

Magnesium: 79mg 

Potassium: 905mg

Sugar: 6g

Recipe © Carolyn Casner for EatingWell