Eating healthy in Florida can be fun, simple, and affordable. Check out this recipe for taco-stuffed Florida bell peppers. We think you’ll love it as much as we do, and agree that it’s positively delicious!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large Florida bell peppers (your favorite color), halved lengthwise, seeds removed
- 1 pound lean ground Florida beef
- 2 cups Florida tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup Florida zucchini, diced small
- 1 cup Florida squash, diced small
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 cups Colby jack cheese, shredded (or your favorite)
- Olive oil, for cooking
- Various toppings, such as tortilla chips, sour cream, and cilantro
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
PREPARATION
Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add olive oil to preheated sauté pan. Add chopped onion to the pan and cook until translucent. Add garlic and ground beef to the cooking onions. Brown ground beef and drain any excess fat. Add the lime juice, dry spices, tomatoes, zucchini, and squash; stir to combine.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add about half of the cheese to the beef mixture and stir to combine. Evenly stuff each pepper half with the beef mixture. Top each stuffed pepper with the rest of the cheese. Place stuffed peppers on a cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm with chips, salsa, and sour cream.
Fresh tip: if you want your peppers to be softer place them in simmering water for 5 minutes or place in preheated oven, unstuffed, for 5-10 minutes before filling.
