Vegetarian Recipe: Simple Stuffed Peppers

For a relatively simple dish, nothing quite beats a stuffed pepper. They act as their own form of portion control, and can be filled with a variety of ingredients to fit the taste you want. Typically they are filled with ground beef, but what if you wanted to go for a meatless option? That's where this recipe comes in!

Any good stuffed pepper should be filled to the brim with ingredients. We also wanted to stick to a Spanish theme for this recipe, so beans and rice were absolutely essential ingredients. In keeping with the vegetarian, healthier aspect of the dish, though, we stuck to brown rice. For some sweetness, we also included chopped tomatoes and corn kernels for a tex-mex feel. To fill out the rest of the dish, we included chopped olives, garlic, and some spaghetti sauce to provide some moisture to what would otherwise be a rather dry dish. Keep reading below for find out how we made this great dish...

For a relatively simple dish, nothing quite beats a stuffed pepper. They act as their own form of portion control, and can be filled with a variety of ingredients to fit the taste you want. Typically they are filled with ground beef, but what if you wanted to go for a meatless option? That's where this recipe comes in!

Any good stuffed pepper should be filled to the brim with ingredients. We also wanted to stick to a Spanish theme for this recipe, so beans and rice were absolutely essential ingredients. In keeping with the vegetarian, healthier aspect of the dish, though, we stuck to brown rice. For some sweetness, we also included chopped tomatoes and corn kernels for a tex-mex feel. To fill out the rest of the dish, we included chopped olives, garlic, and some spaghetti sauce to provide some moisture to what would otherwise be a rather dry dish. Keep reading below for find out how we made this great dish...

Savory Appetizer Recipe: Cabbage Rolls

Whether you call them cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage, piggies, golabki, or something else, cabbage leaves filled with meat and rice provide a comfort food that the whole table will likely love.

Cabbage rolls are quite common in Eastern European and Middle Eastern cuisine, with variances in filling and spices. Different regions also use different sauces in their recipes, with this one calling for a tomato-based sauce that is popular in Eastern European and some Egyptian presentations. This recipe calls on several regional nuances, leaving a dinner table dish with a unique flavor.

We’ve included instructions on cooking in the oven and the slow cooker, so you can pick your preferred method.

Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients

(Makes about six servings)

• 12 cabbage leaves
• 1 cup cooked white rice (cook in beef broth for added flavor)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1 pound extra-lean meat, half ground beef and half ground pork
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes, with liquid
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. First, steam the entire head of cabbage in a pot of boiling water, making sure to cut off the core first. Let the cabbage head boil for about 6-8 minutes -- if you notice leaves separating from the head, you can gently peel away the softened leaves with a long fork. Drain the head of cabbage and peel the necessary amount of leaves when cool.
2. Grab a large bowl and combine the rice, egg, milk, onion, garlic powder, ground beef, ground pork, salt, and pepper. Scoop about a 1/4 cup of this mixture into the center of each cabbage leaf and roll them up, making sure to tuck in the ends.
3. If you’d like to slow cook them, place the rolls in the slow cooker. If you’d like to bake them, place them in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. If you are using the oven, preheat it to 350 degrees F.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls.
5. If using the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours. If using the oven, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F.
6. Enjoy!

Appetizer Recipe: Stuffed Baby Portobello Mushrooms

If you're looking for an appetizer absolutely loaded with flavor, look no further than baby portobello (sometimes called portabella because of their smaller size) mushrooms! These savory treats are filled with a mixture of cheeses and vegetables and topped with bread crumbs to provide the perfect crusty texture.

The trick to making these mushrooms perfect is to not scrape out too much of the mushroom when scraping out the gills. Also be careful to not pierce the mushroom through, or else the cheese mixture will ooze through and make a mess. Also, don't run the mushrooms under water when cleaning them or else the mushrooms will be water-logged. Instead, wipe off the outsides of the mushrooms with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or grit. Keep reading below for this fantastic appetizer recipe...

Stuffed Baby Portobello Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 14oz baby portobello mushrooms
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 1/2 cup softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup diced roasted red peppers
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
• 1/8 cup fresh chopped basil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt plus 1/2 teaspoon for topping
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper and 1/2 teaspoon for topping
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Wipe the outside of the mushrooms with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or grit. Pull out the stem of the mushrooms with a melon baller and remove the gills of the mushroom, being careful to not pierce the flesh. Place the mushrooms on a non-stick cooking pan, open side up.
3. Combine the feta cheese, cream cheese, red peppers, yellow onions, fresh tomato, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, basil, and garlic into a bowl until evenly distributed. Spoon the mixture evenly between the mushrooms in the baking pan.
4. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and panko. Sprinkle the mixture on each of the mushrooms.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and bubbly and the crumb mixture has become golden brown.
6. Enjoy!

Veggie Boats: Sausage-Stuffed Zucchini

Zucchini boats, anyone? This veggie can be a vessel for all kinds of different meals, though this version calls on sausage and cheese for a hearty topping that packs a lot of flavor.

Not into sausage? Try ground chicken, ground beef, or even veggie crumbles – in fact, you could skip the meat all together and simply top the zucchini with other veggies and cheese. And if you really love marinara, you can pour some extra over the boats before topping them with cheese and tomatoes. This recipe’s versatile! 

Sausage-Stuffed Zucchini

(makes 8 zucchini boats)

Ingredients:

• 4 medium zucchini
• 1/4 cup marinara sauce
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1/2 small onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced 
• 14 ounces Italian sausage, removed from casing 
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella 
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil while also preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh using a spoon, so each “zucchini boat” is about 1/4-inch thick.
3. Put the zucchini in the boiling water and let them cook for a minute, then remove them from the water. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish, then add the marinara sauce so it covers the bottom of the pan.
4. In a large sauté pan, brown the sausage and break it up into smaller pieces while it is cooking. Once browned thoroughly, set it aside. Add the oil to the pan and add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and let them cook on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the sausage and some salt and pepper to the pan, letting everything cook together for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Use a spoon to scoop the sausage mixture into the zucchini (each should hold about 1/3 cup of sausage). Top each zucchini with a sprinkle of tomatoes, a tablespoon of mozzarella, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
6. Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 35 minutes, or the cheese is melted. 
7. Enjoy!

Vegan Recipe: Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

In Greece and Italy, rice-stuffed tomatoes are a common dish -- and we've made a vegan variation that's sure to please herbivores and omnivores alike. 

This specific dish was inspired by the Greek gemista, which is used to describe stuffed vegetables – typically a blend of peppers and tomatoes stuffed with rice and often cooked alongside potatoes. We’ve stuck to just stuffed tomatoes, and it is a great way to use all those fresh tomatoes in the summertime. It takes a bit of time, but it’s worth it!

For a quicker version, use cooked rice instead -- leaving out the 3/4 cup olive oil from the mixture -- and set the tomatoes in the pan without any potatoes or leftover rice. Then, just drizzle them with a little olive oil and cook for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

(Makes 10 servings)

Ingredients:

• 10 large tomatoes
• 3/4 cup un-cooked short grain rice
• 2 zucchini, peeled and grated
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 tablespoons dry mint
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 4 teaspoons dried)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds potatoes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Slice the tops off the tomatoes (keep the tops, though) and use a spoon to empty out the middle of the tomato. Reserve the juice in one bowl and insides of the tomato in a separate bowl. Make small slits in the inside bottom of the tomatoes – making sure not to cut all the way through the tomatoes.
3. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish and place the tomatoes inside the pan.
4. Put the onion, garlic, a teaspoon of oil, and a pinch of salt into a food processor and mix it just a bit. (Or, simply mix in a bowl with a spoon if you don’t have a food processor – just chop the onions and garlic a little more finely).
5. Take the insides of the tomato and chop them into small pieces, and then add them to a large bowl with the grated zucchini. Then, add 1 tablespoon of salt, the dry mint, parsley, and tomato paste and combine. Finally, add the uncooked short-grain rice, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 3/4 cup olive oil and let the mixture sit.
6. In the meantime, peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks. Toss them with the tablespoon of oregano, 3/4 cup olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Mix them well and then add the reserved tomato juice.
7. Fill the tomatoes to the top with the rice mixture and top them with their caps. Then, place the potatoes/tomato juice in the empty space around the tomatoes – also add any leftover rice mixture in the gaps, too.
8. Add a cup of water to the corner of the pan and tilt it so that the water is evenly distributed.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees F, and then reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake them for another 60-90 minutes. If it seems dry during the process, add a little more water to the pan.
10. Enjoy! 

Seasonal Recipe: Twice-Baked and Stuffed Butternut Squash

Pumpkins get a lot of attention annually, but they’re not the only members of the gourd family—we’d like to remind everyone about their cousins, the butternut squash. Butternut squash is easy to cook with and blends really well with other flavors, as witnessed here with mushrooms. Try it and see how easily this could become a staple in your dinner rotation!

Quinoa and Mushroom-Stuffed Butternut Squash

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients

• 4 lbs. butternut squash; 2 regular-sized squashes
• 2 cups quinoa
• 1 cup chanterelle mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup white onion, chopped
• ½ cup parmesan
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, separated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• water
• salt and pepper, to taste

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450º F
2. Cut squashes in half, take the seeds out and place, cut side up, in two 11x7 baking dishes. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil (one tablespoon per squash), and add 1/4 inch of water to baking dishes.
3. Cover baking dishes with foil and bake for around 40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 375º F
5. In a small pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil and then add quinoa. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 15-20 minutes, or until quinoa has absorbed all water. Remove from heat.
6. In a pan, heat remaining olive oil and sauté mushrooms and onions on medium heat. Add in the garlic after a few minutes. Cook until fragrant and onions are translucent.
7. After squash has cooled, scoop out the insides, leaving about a 1/4 inch of flesh.
8. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, butternut squash, mushrooms, onions and garlic, and parmesan cheese. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
9. Spoon mixture back into the hollow butternut squashes and return them to the over to back for 20-25 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Low-Calorie Classic: Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu

As with any dish that is traditionally fried, it tastes amazing but is basically never a healthy choice; here we have a healthier spin on the classic Chicken Cordon Bleu, with the same great taste. The main steps we took to make this dish a little better for us are choosing leaner ingredients and baking our chicken instead of frying it. No one likes to compromise on a staple they love, but with this chicken you don’t have to—go ahead and try it for yourself!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 egg whites
• 1 egg
• 6 slices low-fat Swiss cheese
• 6 slices lean deli ham
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste
• cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375º F.
2. Butterfly cut each chicken breast in half, leaving it attached on one side.
3. Open your chicken breasts, lay them between two pieces of wax paper or saran wrap and use a meat mallet to pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Flatten all the chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.
4. In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs with Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
5. Taking your laid open chicken breast, first place your cheese, then your ham along the inside. Fold the chicken closed. Continue with the rest of chicken breasts.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk your eggs together. Take your closed chicken pockets and dip (tops and bottoms) in the egg.
7. Shake off excess and then dredge chicken in the breadcrumbs, making sure entire surface is covered.
8. Place chicken breasts on a greased baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until outside is crispy and golden, and chicken is no longer pink.