12W12S2P: Recipe

That little addendum to the code name up there? The "2P" part? That's "Phase Two." Because we are now in 2P, people, and that means we're getting creative all up in this beeyotch. I said yesterday that one of my new goals is to keep dinner at 600 calories or under (all the better to leave room for pistachios and Skinny Cow fudge bars and MOAR MOUNTAIN DEW), and sometimes that requires some fancy footwork. Again, as I said yesterday, thank heavens I can cook. Here is what I whipped up for dinner yesterday, and it was pretty darned awesome, and if I did my math correctly, it was also under 500 calories. G loved it, and Shae even ate some. (Not a lot, because she is Having A Phase, but she tried it, at least, which is progress.) It's a little bit spicy -- not hot-spicy, but slight-afterburn-spicy -- so beware if you don't like Mexican-style food. I marked some possible substitutions with a blue "*" asterisk for easy reference.


CHILE-STUFFED PEPPERS
Makes 3 servings. By my math (with help from Lose It!), I figure this is ~425 calories per serving.

• 3 large green bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
• ½ pound ground beef, 90% lean*
• ¼ cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained*
• ⅔ cup Spanish rice (packaged, prepared according to directions)*
• 6 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese, divided*

Cut off top ½" of peppers. Do not discard tops. Remove seeds and membranes from peppers to make "bowls." Blanch in salted boiling water for 5-7 minutes or until peppers are softened but not mushy. Carefully remove from heat and rinse with cold water until cool enough to handle. Drain, pat dry, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Clean and finely chop tops of peppers. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped pepper tops, ground beef, and onion. Cook for 7-10 minutes or until meat is browned and vegetables are softened. Add diced tomatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes or until most of liquid is evaporated. Add rice and cook 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons cheese.

Arrange pepper "bowls" in bottom of a small baking dish. Fill each pepper with ⅓ of meat mixture, packing with the back of a spoon if necessary. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cheese over each stuffed pepper. Bake at 350°F for 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving and enjoying.


Possible Substitutions: Any ground meat can be substituted for the ground beef. If you don't like spicy food, you can substitute a can of plain diced tomatoes, or if you like extra spicy food, you can substitute a can of chili-seasoned diced tomatoes or diced tomatoes with jalapeños. Mexican rice or a bean-and-rice mix can be substituted for Spanish rice, and any other kind of cheese can be substituted for the cheddar. Note that any changes to ingredients may affect calorie counts.