Recipe: Beef and Spinach Stuffed Red Peppers

Serves 4.

Note: Stuffing infused with allspice and cinnamon will make your entire house smell like fall. Each serving makes for a hearty helping. If you're looking for a lighter meal, simply cut each pepper in half, then stuff and cook. When selecting red peppers, choose ones that are flat on the bottom to help them stand up better in the pot.

• 4 large red peppers (see Note)

• 2 tsp. olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 6 oz. baby spinach

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp. cayenne

• 3/4 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes, divided

• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

• 3/4 lb. extra-lean ground beef

• 1 c. leftover cooked brown rice

• 1 egg

Directions

In a large pot (large enough to hold all of the peppers), heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the chopped pepper tops, onion and garlic, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the spinach, allspice, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach has completely wilted. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for at least 15 minutes. No need to clean the pot.

Reserving 1/2 cup of the tomatoes, pour the remainder into the pot. Sprinkle the brown sugar and vinegar over the tomatoes and gently stir to combine. Set aside.

Add the uncooked beef, rice, egg and 1/2 cup of the crushed tomatoes to the bowl with the vegetables and stir to combine thoroughly. Fill the cavities of the peppers with the stuffing. Stand the peppers in the pot as you fill them. Make sure you use all the filling to stuff the peppers, mounding on top if necessary.

Turn the heat on to medium-high to bring sauce to a boil. Spoon some sauce over each pepper. Cover the pot, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until the peppers are tender and the filling is firm and cooked through, about 25 to 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrition information per serving:

Carbohydrates41 gSaturated fat3 gCalcium140 mg

Protein26 gCholesterol90 mgDietary fiber10 g