Turkey & Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients 

• 5 bell peppers (mix it up with red, yellow, and orange)
• Olive oil spray
• 1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 20 oz package ground turkey
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 (12-16 oz) jar pico di gallo or your favorite low-sodium salsa
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, rinsed and chopped
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, and remove the white pithy ribs along with the seeds and stems.
• Spray baking dish with olive oil spray and arrange peppers in the dish.
• Spray a large non-stick skillet with the olive oil spray. Sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until it starts to brown. If the onions and garlic start to stick, add a splash of water or broth to deglaze the pan.
• Add the ground turkey to the pan, cooking until lightly browned and breaking it up as it cooks. Stir in the black pepper, chili powder and coriander.
• Next add the salsa, the quinoa and the rice, heat through. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped spinach.
• Pack the turkey mixture into the pepper halves so that it's heaping, about a cup. Sprinkle the tops with the cheddar cheese and bake about 40 minutes or until the peppers are tender. Serve immediately.

Notes

To save some time, cook the brown rice and quinoa together. In a medium pot, bring 2 cups chicken broth to a boil. Stir in ½ cup brown rice. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, then stir in ½ cup quinoa and cook covered for an additional 15 minutes. Turn off burner and let sit for 5 minutes.

Download recipe here.