Stuffed Red Peppers

Happy New Year!
2009 was an amazing year! I think I feel this way because we were married in July followed by an amazing honeymoon in Hawaii. Two of our best friends were married right after our trip, and it was wonderful to be a part of their big day while still riding on our Newlywed excitement. I am excited to see what 2010 has in store for us.

Like many people, I often focus on eating healthier again in the new year. The holidays are exciting with the many parties and treats, but I am also beginning to appreciate when our life returns to our "normal routines." I am definitely a creature of habit! My students will be back in the classroom on Monday, and our hectic weeknights will return. These stuffed peppers will be something I make again this week as we get back into the groove. They are another successful recipe from Gina's WW Recipes. Growing up I loved my mom's stuffed peppers. They were a tomato sauce, beef, and rice base that was combined into a green pepper. I like this twist of using red peppers and not much tomato sauce. The ground turkey and brown rice also make these a healthier option. These made a lot of servings for the two of us, so we enjoyed them for lunch as well.

You will need:
* 1 lb lean ground turkey
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1/4 onion, minced
* 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp cumin powder
* salt to taste
* 3 large sweet red bell peppers, washed
* 1 cup fat free chicken broth
* 1/4 cup tomato sauce
* 1 1/2 cups cooked rice (I cooked one Success brown rice packet)
* Olive oil spray
* 1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheese (I used part-skim mozzarella)

1) Preheat the oven to 400°. Spray the olive oil spray in a medium size saute pan over medium-heat. Add onion, garlic, and cilantro to the pan. Saute for about 2 minutes.

2)Add the ground turkey. Season with salt, garlic powder, and cumin. Brown the meat for several minutes until it is completely cooked through.

3) Add the tomato sauce and a 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Mix well and simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Combine cooked rice and meat together.

4) Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, and remove all seeds. Place the peppers in a baking dish(I used my 13 x 9 pyrex) Spoon the meat mixture into each pepper half. Pour the remainder of the chicken broth on the bottom of the pan.

5) Cover tight with aluminum foil and bake for about 35 minutes. Top with shredded cheese and enjoy.