Clearly I’m enjoying stuffing things into bell peppers:)
Last week I brought you an awesome shrimp and “grits” stuffed bell pepper recipe. This week’s recipe is just as delicious and even simpler to make. Plus it features that heavenly BBQ rub that I told you about not too long ago. In fact, with the exception of a little sea salt and black pepper, it’s the only thing I used to season the different components in this dish.
I love this seasoning. I’m a self-proclaimed “mixologist” when it comes to spices. I enjoy getting in the kitchen and being creative with different spice pairings, but more recently I’ve been reaching for this spice and this spice alone. It’s like an attention whore. It just doesn’t want to share the spotlight.
Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can of reduced sodium black beans
4 medium bell peppers
4 cups of diced sweet potatoes
1.25 lbs of 97% lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon of GA Boys All Purpose BBQ rub (plus extra for sprinkling on sweet potatoes and bell pepper halves)
PAM Olive oil cooking spray
1/2 tsp of sea salt (plus extra for sprinkling on bell pepper halves)
1/4 tsp of black pepper (plus extra for sprinkling on bell pepper halves)
1 cup of reduced fat shredded cheese blend (find one with monterey jack)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and spray it with olive oil cooking spray.
Spray the sweet potatoes with the olive oil cooking spray and then season with the GA Boys all purpose BBQ rub and cook for about 40-45 minutes.
Slice the bell peppers in half and hollow out the middle, removing the seeds.
Spray them with olive oil cooking spray and season each half with a sprinkle of sea salt, black pepper and the BBQ rub. Alongside the sweet potatoes, bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
With the sweet potatoes and bell peppers roasting, take a large pot and spray olive oil cooking spray. Turn on the stove at a medium-high heat, and cook the ground turkey for 2-3 minutes before adding the black beans. Once the ground turkey has cooked for a few minutes and before it’s cooked all the way through, add the black beans, a tablespoon of the BBQ rub, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, and 1/4 tsp of black pepper. Let cook on a medium heat for 5-6 more minutes.
Once the sweet potatoes are done roasting, add them to the ground turkey and black beans.
Scoop out 3/4 cup of the scramble into the bell pepper halves.
Divide up 1/4 cup of the cheese blend to spread over two bell pepper halves (~1/8 cup/ half).
Put the bell pepper halves back into the oven for 5-6 minutes so the cheese can melt.
Let cool for a few minutes before serving!
When they say all purpose rub they aren’t kidding. I’ve already used this to make oven roasted sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and baked chicken. Now with this recipe, I can add black beans, ground turkey, and roasted bell peppers to the list. I think seafood will be next.
Optional:
This scramble would also be amazing as a dip (I tested it and can attest to this)!
To do so, use a second can of reduced sodium black beans when cooking the ground turkey, and add an extra 1/2 tsp of the BBQ rub, 1/4 tsp of sea salt, and 1/4 tsp of black pepper to season. Once cooked, spread it out into a 9×13 pan and use 2 cups of reduced fat cheese to spread on top. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for ~7-8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and a light golden brown. Have it with your favorite tortilla chips. I’d recommend some with a hint of lime and sea salt. Or if you want to get even more fiber in, take a high fiber flatbread, cut it into strips, spray with olive oil cooking spray, sprinkle on sea salt, and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
Whatever way you have it, you’re bound to enjoy it.
Do you have a favorite stuffed bell pepper dish? Do tell!