The dish I was most itching to attempt when returning to campus this spring was, in fact, these stuffed peppers. Fortunate enough to discover the fresh produce section at Hamilton Whole Foods, I decided to utilize the delicious plethora of vegetables I received to create this dish. While I suggest specific ingredients in the recipe below, you are welcome to swap out any of them for whatever produce you desire or are able to find!

Simple Stuffed Peppers

SERVES: 4 people

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

COOK TIME:  40 minutes

EASY TIPS: You can substitute rice for any of your favorite grains — quinoa, couscous — you name it!

INGREDIENTS: 

• 4 Bell Peppers, tops cut off and seeds scooped out 
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped 

For the Filling:

• 1 package ground turkey (or your protein of choice)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup white mushrooms, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 2 cups spinach
• 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups Basmati rice, cooked and drained
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Arrange the peppers in a baking dish, top side up. 
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the ground turkey.
4. When it is just about cooked through, add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, and tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes, until both the vegetables and meat, are cooked through.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Add ¾ cup of the cheese and allow to melt and combine. Add the cooked rice and mix.
7. Scoop the filling into the prepared peppers. Add a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan once the peppers are stuffed.
8. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes to allow the cheese to become crispy.
9. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!