Hi Friends! I was SO happy to hear that you loved my “De-bloat Day” post last week. I think we were all in the same boat after the first long weekend of the Summer. That post is a good one to file away until Labor Day! If you haven’t read it yet, you can find it here.
The week before my de-bloat post, I talked all about peppers and what a great pick they are for snacks and meals alike! So I thought that the timing could not be more perfect to share one of my favorite recipes with you. It’s both low in carbs and involves…..you guessed it….peppers!
My whole family loves my recipe for taco stuffed peppers. It couldn’t be simpler. It’s healthy (remember how good peppers are for you? If not, read that post here!), it satisfies that craving for tacos without being overindulgent and it is delicious.
For this recipe, I make my own taco seasoning because I am very salt sensitive. It tastes so much better than the envelope of seasoning anyway so I’m including that recipe below too. Plus, I’m sharing a few tips and shortcuts that make this recipe a quick one for busy weeknights.
I hope you make these tomorrow for Taco Tuesday! I promise you’ll wake up guilt free and looking forward to when you can make them again. Xx Janine
Janine’s Low-Carb Taco Stuffed Peppers
Janine’s Homemade Taco Seasoning Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chili powder
¼ tablespoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon paprika
1 and ½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon of sea salt (optional) or 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
Taco Stuffed Pepper Ingredients:
4 Bell peppers (I used red but also like to make this recipe with yellow or orange)
1 pound lean ground fresh turkey breast (my preference if you can get it) or 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
¾ cup of water
½ small can tomato paste (optional)
A sprinkle of shredded cheese on each for topping. Your choice. I choose shredded sharp cheddar
Optional: I like to mix a few tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt with salsa for a guilt free sour cream condiment on the side!
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Mix all the above ingredients to create your own taco seasoning.
Cut the tops off all of your peppers and clean out the insides. Note: You won’t need the tops of your peppers for this recipe but before you get rid of them, I like to cut them up and put them aside for snacks during the week. There’s a lot of good pepper left on the top that you don’t want to waste.
In a non-stick skillet or pan, brown your meat and drain it. Add in your homemade taco seasoning, ¾ of a cup of water and half of a small can of tomato paste.
If the consistency of your meat looks too thick add in another ¼ cup of water.
Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes.
Place your hollowed out peppers in an oven safe dish. I like to use a quiche dish but any baking dish will do.
Shortcut: At this point I like to soften my peppers a bit before putting them in the oven. It cuts down on baking time.
Put a tablespoon of water in the bottom of your baking dish with the peppers. Microwave for 3:30 minutes to soften peppers slightly.
Now, your peppers are ready for stuffing. Scoop an even amount of your meat mixture into each pepper filling 
them nearly to the top.
Place in the oven at 375 for 40 minutes.
Optional: My family loves cheese. At 35 minutes I take the peppers out of the oven, sprinkle a small amount of shredded cheese on each and put them back in the oven for the remaining five minutes.
Mix two tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt with salsa and serve as an optional condiment. Enjoy!
