Stuffed Peppers

Here is an easy weeknight meal that can be served with a simple salad. Packed with protein and veggies, just one of these peppers is very filling! Sometimes I make them to meal prep lunches for the week since they reheat beautifully and the flavors get better as they rest after baking. Cutting all of the vegetables is the hardest part!

What you need:​​ ​

From the pantry/fridge:
5 large bell peppers - any color you want
1 pound ground meat (I prefer a blend)
3-5 large garlic cloves
1 large fennel bulb
2 large shallots
1 can cherry or grape tomatoes
1 bag fresh spinach
8oz baby bella mushrooms
5 scallions
salt & pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
red pepper flake (optional if you want heat)
good quality extra virgin olive oil
​1.5 cup parmesan cheese (more never hurts)
​fresh basil
​water

Tools:
cutting board
chef's knife
large skillet 
spatula or wooden spoon
​meat chopper
cheese grater
​timer
spoon
baking dish

What you do: (pictures below)

• Heat the oven to 400F
• Remove stems from the mushrooms, wipe the caps clean with a damp paper towel
• ​Peel the shallots and garlic
• Remove the stalks & outer layer of the fennel bulb
• Chop the mushrooms caps, the fennel bulb, shallots, and garlic to roughly the same size
• Heat 4tbsp EVOO in a deep pan over medium-low heat
• Add chopped shallot, mushrooms, garlic, and fennel to the pan. Stir, so they do not burn
• After about 2 minutes, add the ground meat and break up with the meat chopper
• Add salt, pepper, oregano and optional red pepper flakes
• While the meat browns, trim the scallions and slice into skinny rings 
• Rough chop the spinach and basil
• Add the spinach, basil, scallions, can of tomatoes, and 1c grated parmesan cheese 
• Stir the mix together and cover for about two minutes, the cheese will bind the mixture
• Remove the tops and seeds from the peppers.
• Place the peppers snugly in the baking dish so that they do not fall over
• Check to see if the mix has cooked down, so the tomatoes break when pressed with a spoon

• Spoon the mixture into each pepper (depending on the peppers size, there may be extra)
• Add enough water to the baking dish so that it comes about 1/2 inch up the peppers
• Sprinkle the rest of parmesan cheese on top of each pepper
• Bake for 35 minutes or until the peppers have softened and the cheese has browned
• Allow them to cool a little before enjoying