23

Apr

Stuffed peppers

The first time I had one of these was not in Texas as a child. It was in Massachusetts. Yes, I said it. And it was pronounced “stuft PEH-puhs” I’ll have you know. An old boyfriend’s mother was so sweet, and she decided she would comfort my homesickness (and cravings for Tex-Mex) by making her stuffed bell peppers. Let me just say, I was so thankful for her efforts, but this is not a dish you’ll EVER find on a menu in Tex-Mex country. Poblano peppers are usually the ones stuffed, and it’s with cheese, cream sauce and chicken. She used rice, ground beef and pinto beans. 🙂 But it was the thought that counted, so I’ve decided to bring a little authentic Tex-Mex flavor to this Yankee creation. It’s easy, healthy, and pretty darn tasty. Enjoy.

Stuffed Peppers
4 servings

4 bell peppers, any color
1 cup brown rice or 1/2 cup quinoa
1 pound white meat chicken
3 TB + 2 TB cumin
1/4 + 1/2 t. salt
1/4 + 1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup (small handful) of chopped cilantro
1 cup salsa

Optional toppings: shredded cheddar or mozz, salsa, jalapenos, sour cream

1 Cook: In a rice cooker or pot, cook the rice according to package directions. In the meantime, cut the tops off of the peppers and scoop out the seeds (see photo). Set the peppers and the tops aside. Cut the chicken into small chunks (1/2 inch cubes). Heat a wok or large skillet on medium high. Add 1/4 cup water and the chicken and let cook for two minutes. Season with 3 TB cumin, 1/4 t. salt, 1/4 t. garlic powder and red pepper (optional). Continue to stir and saute until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Set aside.

2 Combine: Once the rice is cooked, stir in the black beans and 2 TB cumin, 1/2 t. salt (if unsalted beans), 1/4 t. garlic powder, and the chopped cilantro. Preheat oven to 375.

3 Fill: Line a baking pan with walls with foil. (I usually use a 9-inch round for 4 peppers). Using a tablespoon, layer the rice & beans mixture, then 1 TB of salsa, then several bites of chicken multiple times until the pepper is filled to the top. You should have no more than 4 sets of layers. Finish the pepper by placing the top piece back on. Repeat this for the rest of the peppers. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until peppers are slightly soft on the outside and the contents inside are piping hot. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, jalapenos and salsa, if you like.

Enjoy the peh-puhs!

Happy eating!
Laurel

~Laurel~

14 years ago Short URL

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28

Jul

Not-so-fried Rice

No arteries need to meet greasy, limp Chinese take out. But this *healthier* version is easy, tasty, and has endless possibilities. For this adventure, I used a food I’ve never cooked with before:  


napa cabbage.

It gave a bit of crunch, some filler (besides rice), and color to this dish. After making a batch, I put the leftovers into 2-cup containers and have been grabbing it for an easy lunch at work or a no-thought dinner after a long day. (PS: Napa cabbage has 28 calories per cup, according to this awesome USDA Food-a-pedia.)

Not-so-fried Rice
4-6 servings

Ingredients:::
4 cups water + 1/3 cup water
2 cups wheat rice
1 1/2 cup carrots
1 zucchini
3 stalks celery
1/2 cup peas or snow peas
1 egg + 1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Dash of ground ginger 
3 cups Napa cabbage
1/2 TB sesame oil (optional) 
Garnish: sesame seeds, 1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

pot for water with lid, large wok or skillet with lid, wooden spoon 
Directions:::   
step one: Heat a pot of water with rice and cover. When it boils, remove lid, stir, and recover, reducing heat to a simmer. Let cook 15 or so minutes.

step two: While waiting for the rice, chop up the carrots, zucchini, and celery and put into the heated wok with 1/3 cup of water. Cover and let cook on medium-high for 5 minutes. Add the egg and peas and let egg cook for a few minutes. (Some people like to scramble and cook egg first, before adding to veggies.) Next, add the garlic powder, ginger, sesame oil, and cabbage. Gently stir with spoon and recover for a few minutes.
step three: Check on the rice. If all of the water has been absorbed and a taste test of the rice shows it’s cooked, remove rice from heat and gently add to wok. Combine with spoon and add soy sauce. Toss thoroughly. Let cook in wok for a few more minutes and serve in a bowl with garnish.
I mentioned the USDA’s new My Food-a-pedia 
This is super helpful. You can look up nutrition values of various foods, get personalized meal plans, etc, and it’s also great for kids to use, too. Try this: Click on “Look up a food.” Put in anything…I did popcorn. Not only does it give you the nutrition facts for popcorn (and which category it goes in on your plate), it gives you the facts of buttered, low fat, natural popped with butter, air popped, and other varieties. So simple! I hope this helps keep you and your family healthy and happy. 
Happy eating! 
~Laurel~

15 years ago Short URL

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