Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers

Reinventing the leftover!

At some point, many of us end up with leftovers in the fridge. I hate to see any food go to waste and like to incorporate leftovers as much as possible, reinventing them into new dishes or spins into old classics. I had made a batch of brown rice and had some leftover. Usually, when I make my italian farro & turkey stuffed peppers, I mix farro into the stuffing, substituting the rice. However, the last time I made them I used all of my stuffing. Honestly, I managed to take the ground turkey out and then 4:00 p.m came and my first thought was "What am I going to do with this? I really don't feel like cooking." Of course take out is easier, some may assume, but is it really? Think about it, it costs more and you have way less control about what goes into it. Typically you're not getting your food in 20 minutes anyway and within 20-30 minutes you can whip up something that is not only better for your belly, but also is better for your budget!

It's no secret how much I love Aldi, so when I was in there last, I picked up a box of Fit & Active quick cooking brown rice. I threw it in the rice cooker according to the directions on the back and it was done in about 10 minutes. I love my rice cooker because it frees up a burner. After I hit the lottery, I'll get one of those fancy 6 burner stoves. In the meantime, I'm in a 7 square foot house with 4 burners on a range that doesn't even have a clock, but it works, so who cares?!

For this dish, throwing the chopped peppers in for the last 8 minutes or so of cooking helps to keep them crunchy. You can add more or less water to change the amount of moisture. I ate this with a side of sauteed zucchini and mushrooms and BAM! (nearly) instant dinner.

You will need:

1lb ground chicken or turkey (I used turkey)
1 large green pepper or 2 medium (I like it colorful, so I used a mix & finished up all of the chunks in the fridge)
1 1/3 C cooked brown rice (use leftovers or make separately - about 3/4C uncooked)
1 small onion
3 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder OR 1 garlic clove
black pepper, to taste
1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
1/2 C water

In a large skillet, brown turkey and onion. While that's cooking, coarsely chop pepper and set aside. Gradually add in about 1/4 C of the water and simmer. Add ketchup, worcestershire sauce, garlic (or powder, if using), and black pepper. Gradually stir in brown rice, adding remaining water if necessary to keep moist. Stir in fennel and chopped pepper, stirring to heat through.

Each serving yields approximately:
Calories: 340
Fat: 9g
Carbs: 39g
Protein: 27g