Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed bell peppers were one of my favorite foods growing up as a child! Every year for my birthday my mom would let me pick whatever I wanted for my birthday dinner and this was always what I picked! By switching a few ingredients for some healthier options and adding spices in to fit my personal taste preference, I've come up with these Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers for a dish that packs alot of flavor (and heat!) and leaves you feeling full but not guilty!

Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers (makes approx. 6 servings)

• 1 pound lean ground beef (I use 93/7...ground turkey would also be a good option)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 8 oz can no salt added tomato sauce
• 1 cup corn kernels (I used frozen)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp low sodium Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 15 oz can reduced sodium pinto beans
• 6 large bell peppers
• Approx. 1/2 cup shredded cheese of choice (I used fat free Cheddar Cheese)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Brown onion and ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain off excess grease.
3. Add garlic and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add in the tomato sauce, corn, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and pinto beans.
5. Reduce heat and let simmer for 8-10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile prep the peppers by cutting off the tops and removing the seeds and membranes.
7. Fill the peppers with the meat mixture and place in a baking dish.
8. Top each pepper with approximately 1 tbsp of cheese.
9. Place in the oven to bake for about 35 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden brown.

I've served these with some brown rice and steamed broccoli to get in some complex carbs and even more veggies!

The skinny:
Each stuffed pepper has about 240 calories and 6 grams of fat! Not too bad for a huge pepper stuffed with filling veggies and meat!

Stuffed peppers are so versatile! You can change up the ingredients any way you want and make it  your own! With the amount of spice and heat I've loaded in here, these definitely aren't for the faint of heart! Give 'em a try and let me know what you think! :)

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