Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers {Gluten Free} {Low Carb}

I was stumped on what to name this rich concoction. It is not simply a stuffed bell pepper. It has spice. It has kick. It has the inside of a taco as its stuffing. And, as it turns out, they were more open-faced than "stuffed" per se.  You'll catch my drift as we go along. 

Simply put: these are easy, delicious, and you can actually switch up the spices and toppings to create any style meal. 

Taco Stuffed Bell Pepper

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 chopped onion 

3 cloves chopped garlic

1 pound ground beef, turkey, or chicken

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3 bell peppers (remove stem, membrane and seeds and cut in half)

7 sliced white mushrooms

1 quartered and sliced zucchini

(add any other vegetables that you may have on hand that will fit the style of stuffed pepper you're making)

1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, jack or pepper jack work great)

avocado

salsa

sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute olive oil, garlic, and onions on low to medium heat for a few minutes (until someone in the house says it smells soooo good in the kitchen!). Add meat and spices and cook until meat is almost thoroughly cooked. Add vegetables (except bells!) and cook until slightly soft but not soggy.

Place bell pepper halves on their backs on a baking sheet. Scoop meat mixture with a slotted spoon into heaping mounds into bells. Place in preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and add generous amounts of shredded cheese to the top and cook for 3-5 more minutes (until cheese is melted).

Remove from oven and place on serving dish.  Add additional cold toppings (avo, salsa, sour cream to preference).  

I added a green salad to the side with a little balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.  After we cut into the bells and the ingredients co-mingled it was divine.

Note: I sliced the bells in half for easier filling AND more square-inchage for shredded cheese!

Variations:  

Add rice and/or black beans for a heartier meal.

Change up the seasonings and veggies for a different flare.

Mac and Cheese all Gussied Up

The Bear and The Bird chowing down on their Mac and Cheese and some watermelon

So let's be real.  Boxed Mac and Cheese is not pretty.  It is easy and it doesn't have to be as creepy as the fluorescent orange stuff.  There are a few gluten free brands these days found at Target, most grocery stores with a health food section, and Trader Joe's.  They taste decent and get the dinner "job" done.

I like to have fruits and/or veggies with every meal whenever I can.  Aside from the food pyramid and eating a "balanced diet," I love fruits and vegetables and want to expose my kids to as many as possible.  Organic is ideal when we can!  I also add a lil something to make it creamier.  Watery mac makes me sad!

So, here it is... my fancy-shmancy boxed Mac and Cheese additions.  Give it a whirl and let me know what you think or what you change to kick it up a notch.

• When you throw your macaroni into the boiling water, add an entire bag of frozen veggies.  A bag of mixed peas, carrots and corn does the trick.  (I have used stir fry veggies in a pinch and, honestly, all smothered in cheese, it doesn't really matter!  Let pasta and veggies boil a minute or so longer than box says to for just the pasta.  Drain water from past and veggies.
• Use a tad less milk and replace that with about a tablespoon of butter.
• Add 4 tablespoons of cream cheese to the warm milk and melted butter and let all of those ingredients mix together. Cream cheese will melt when you add warm pasta and veggies to it.
• Optional: a few shakes of garlic powder.

 When all of those easy ingredients come together and slightly cool you are left with an extremely tasty twist on your regular boxed mac and cheese!