I swear, my love for Mexican food grows more and more everyday. From cheesy chicken enchiladas to grilled fajitas, some of my favorite meals come from this food group (yes, I consider refried beans and rice a food group ???? ). Although this may be true, many times this food contains ingredients high in fat and carbs (sigh). It is so easy to underestimate the calories of your meals when you go out to eat because not only is someone else making your food, but you have no idea of all the hidden ingredients put into it. Recently I have been craving Mexican food but without all the calories and fat that are usually put into it. I was looking up inspiration online and came across an amazing recipe calling for grilled, stuffed peppers. Needless to say, I knew I had to try it! I tweaked the recipe mostly because of the ingredients I had on hand, but like me, you can add or remove any ingredient to make it your own unique creation. This is my final product and I must say, I was extremely pleased! I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa
½ cup corn kernels
¼ cup sliced onion
½ cup canned pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup diced tomatoes
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 slices of thinly sliced Colby jack or shredded pepper jack cheese
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon chili powder
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 bell peppers, cut in half, cored and seeded
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Rinse and boil quinoa.
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix. Be sure to taste the mixture and add to your liking.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Spoon the mixture in each bell pepper. Place on baking pan. Bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through, about 25-30 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, sour cream, guacamole, or added cheese.
- Enjoy ????
Total time: 50 minutes
Serves 4
Calories: 180
Fat: 2g
Protein: 7g
