Thriving Recipe: Stuffed Pepper Casserole

When you need dinner to be a little more simple, turn a classic into a casserole. It still tastes delicious!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. cooking oil (butter, ghee, or coconut oil.)

1 1/2 pound ground beef

1 large yellow onion

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (or I just use a few tsp of oregano, basil and parsley)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon Himalayan salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

3 cloves garlic

2 cups bell peppers

2 cups water

1 cup diced tomatoes

8-ounce sugar free spaghetti sauce

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

For serving: top with chopped parsley

Instructions:

In a Dutch oven or similar deep, sturdy pot, heat the oil over medium high. Add the beef and onion. Cook and stir until it is browned and fully cooked through and the onion is tender, about 7 minutes.

Add the Italian seasoning, cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic. Stir and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add peppers, water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar and rice. Stir to evenly combine.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and let cook 40-45 minutes. (Stir occasionally.)

Remove the pot from the heat. Uncover and stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Don’t worry if it’s still a little liquidy. It will continue to thicken and the liquid will further absorb as it sits. Sprinkle the cheese over the top then recover.

Let sit off the heat for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted, the rice is tender. Serve warm, sprinkled with fresh cilantro or parsley.

If you have questions or comments for Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Maria Boyuk, contact her at thrivinghealthNY.com.