Ww Hearty Stuffed Bell Peppers
This recipe for classic stuffed bell peppers is from Weight Watchers and has been adapted to include more vegetables, making it a healthier and heartier dish. Red peppers are used because they are sweeter, and the hot and spicy V8 juice provides extra flavor and zing. It's a simple and delicious meal that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
This recipe for classic stuffed bell peppers is from Weight Watchers and has been adapted to include more vegetables, making it a healthier and heartier dish. Red peppers are used because they are sweeter, and the hot and spicy V8 juice provides extra flavor and zing. It's a simple and delicious meal that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
- 4 medium bell peppers any color
- 10 ounces extra lean ground beef (7% or less fat)
- 1 1/2 cups 100% vegetable juice (e.g. v8)
- 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
- mrs. dash seasoning mix
- Carbohydrate 31.71787366986 g
- Cholesterol 51.7625 mg
- Fat 15.09468088141 g
- Fiber 3.79937939164728 g
- Protein 16.89565921474 g
- Saturated Fat 5.9097034375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (329g)
- Sodium 255.860687499754 mg
- Sugar 27.9184942782127 g
- Trans Fat 2.26165369391 g
- Calories 332 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook the rice according to package directions, omitting the butter or vegetable oil. Cool 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, with a sharp knife, slice off the top of each bell pepper and remove the seeds. Set aside. Remove and discard stems and chop remaining pepper tops.
- Combine the cooked rice, the ground beef, onion, chopped pepper, garlic, 1/4 cup of the vegetable juice, the Parmesan, and spices in a medium bowl. Spoon the rice mixture, dividing it evenly, into the bell peppers.
- Place the bell peppers in a deep 3-quart sauce pan; pour the remaining 1 1/4 cups vegetable juice around the bell peppers.
- Set pan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer and cover.
- Simmer until peppers are tender and beef is cooked through, 20 - 30 minutes.
- Place each bell pepper in a serving bowl and serve with the sauce.
Stuffed bell peppers trace their lineage to Eastern European and Mediterranean traditions where inexpensive vegetables acted as vessels for grain and meat mixtures. Early American adaptations often relied on high-fat ground chuck and dense tomato purees that weighed down the dish. Modernizing the template requires swapping heavy bases for vegetable juice, which concentrates natural glutamates as it reduces. Extra lean ground beef containing seven percent or less fat prevents grease pooling during the simmer phase.
Managing Moisture and Texture
Raw rice absorbs liquid directly from its surrounding environment during cooking. Mixing uncooked grains straight into the meat filling ensures the starches hydrate from internal juices and vegetable moisture without becoming gummy. Cooking the grains beforehand risks over-processing once exposed to direct heat inside the pepper cavity. Chopping the fibrous pepper tops and folding them into the beef mixture recycles scraps while adding structural bulk and natural sweetness.Simmering Instead of Roasting
Enclosing stuffed peppers inside a deep three-quart saucepan utilizes steam alongside direct heat. Bringing the vegetable juice to a boil before lowering the temperature creates a thermal environment that cooks the beef uniformly in twenty to thirty minutes. Lacking a tight lid causes vapor loss and lengthens cooking times unevenly. Testing the outer wall with a paring knife confirms doneness when the perimeter yields softly under pressure.
