Growing up, I was not what you would call a “picky eater.” I loved to eat, and there were very few things I would turn down.
One of my favorite meals my mom would make was stuffed peppers. My brother and sister would eat the cheesy rice stuffing and forgo the pepper, but I loved it all! We didn’t eat them all that often, but I distinctly remember large peppers overflowing with rice, hamburger, tomato sauce and cheese.
So. Good!
As I’m making strides in eating healthier, I knew this would be a recipe I could easily adapt, simply swap out a few items. And it sounded delicious! Of course, HOS wouldn’t eat a stuffed pepper if I paid him, and Charli is a bit young for this dish. The best way to please my baby and fulfill my craving was to create a healthy, stuffed pepper casserole.
I can’t say whether or not Charlotte enjoyed the dish. It was one of her rebellious evenings when she chose to eat presumably large quantities of animal cookies at daycare just before I arrived. She didn’t eat dinner at all. But I loved it!
If you like stuff peppers, you’re sure to enjoy this rendition.
Clean Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
2-3 large green peppers
1 cup brown rice
(1) 12 oz can organic tomato sauce
Mrs. Dash onion and herb seasoning
1-2 cups mozzarella
2.5 cups water
Recipe
1. Boil 1 cup brown rice in 2.5 cups water until tender. Water will all be evaporated or absorbed by the rice. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. While the rice is boiling, brown the ground turkey on a low temp. I seasoned the meat as it was cooking, adding 1 tsp (ish) Mrs. Dash when it is first place in the skillet and again after the meat is turned the first time.
3. Chop the green peppers and add to the turkey as it is browning. This will result in softer peppers. For a crunchier pepper, wait to add them until after the brown rice is ready.
4. When the rice is finished boiling, stir into the skillet.
5. Pour the tomato sauce into the skillet and let cook on low for a few minutes, stirring.
6. Pour the contents of the skillet into a casserole dish. If using 2 cups of cheese, cut in 1 cup of mozzarella into the casserole. If only using 1 cup, cheese will be added later.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
8. Remove the casserole and top with the remaining mozzarella. Return to oven for 3 minutes.
9. Enjoy!
In the future, I would like to try this recipe with some stewed or diced tomatoes. I’ll probably reduce the sauce quantity if I add tomatoes.
What’s your favorite stuffed pepper recipe?
This Side of the Rainbow 
That looks good. I had never made stuffed peppers until Allan requested them, so I followed the recipe in Betty Crocker. My problem, though, is I don’t have the patience to let the peppers cook long enough, so chopping them into a casserole would hurry that up. Unfortunately, we would have to cut down on the cheese, but still would taste good. I’m looking forward to another banner pepper growing year in the garden. So expensive in the store–so prolific on the vine!