Ground turkey is a great alternative to ground beef — it’s lower in fat but still has great flavor, and it works well in low-glycemic recipes. However, because turkey is such a lean meat, it can often turn out dry. The trick is to add ingredients like onions and vegetables that release moisture into the meat.
Low-Glycemic Turkey-Stuffed Peppers with Mozzarella Cheese
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 62–67 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Nonstick cooking spray
8 green bell peppers, tops cut off, cored and seeded
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced
One 15-ounce can hominy, rinsed and drained
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-x-13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a small slice off of the bottom of each pepper so it can sit upright in a pan and place the peppers in the dish so that the open sides are up.
Heat the oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, break it into small chunks with a spoon, and cook until it’s cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Add the onions and mushrooms, and cook until they’re soft, about 4 minutes. Add the hominy, tomatoes, garlic powder, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, and cumin; stir everything together.
Pour in the broth, and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the basil until wilted.
For each pepper, fill it 1/3 full with the turkey mixture, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of mozzarella cheese on top, add another layer of the turkey mixture to fill it completely, and top with another 2 teaspoons of cheese.
Cover the stuffed peppers with aluminum foil, and bake them in the oven until they’re softened, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Per serving: Calories 192 (From Fat 57); Glycemic Load 2 (Low); Fat 6g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 49mg; Sodium 281mg; Carbohydrate 16g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 19g.
