Photo by Josie Fox Photography

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have some (ok, several!) unhealthy, guilty pleasures when it comes to food.  I am admitting that one of them is a good chili relleno.  I’m not sure where that comes from because the description of such sounds disgusting to me (pepper stuffed with fattening cheese, then battered, then deep fried – ugh), but I adore the taste!  You can imagine the joy and excitement when I just happened to be watching the Food Network a few years ago and saw Miss Rachel Ray throw this recipe down.  I might have gone out and bought the ingredients for the recipe that very day!  This is a 5-star recipe that Beau & I have been in love with since the first time I made it.  The roasted veggies, combined with flavorful spices give this a slight smokey taste that is mouth-watering.  The way the veggies, ground turkey, and pepper come together is like a modern Mexican dish that is bursting with flavors!  As you probably guessed, being a Rachel Ray recipe, it pulls together quickly (30 minutes or less).  Oh, and these make great leftovers.  I always make the entire batch of 4 peppers so that Beau & I can each enjoy one for lunch the next day.  YUM! (Thanks again to the talented Josie Fox for the photos in this post!)

Photo by Josie Fox Photography

Roasted & Stuffed Chili Rellanos
Recipe Adapted from Rachel Ray

4 large poblano peppers
1 lb. ground turkey
3 ears corn on the cob or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoons canola
1 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained well
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 palm full
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, eyeball it in your palm
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup part-skim Mozzarella cheese

Preheat broiler or grill pan to high.

Place poblanos under broiler or on hot grill and char evenly all over, 15 minutes.

While peppers are working, heat skillet over medium heat.  Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink.  Remove from skillet and tent with foil.

Next Step - Adding the veggies to the pan. Don't they look so pretty?

Scrape the corn off the cobs or defrost frozen corn and dry by spreading out on clean kitchen towel. Heat 2 tablespoons light oil in the skillet over high heat. When the oil smokes or ripples add corn, onion, jalapenos and toss until the vegetables char at edges and onions are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and add in garlic, fire roasted tomatoes and season with cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another minute or 2 then add turkey back to pan.  Mix to combine then turn pan off.

Sprinkle the lime juice over the corn/turkey mixture.

Split the charred peppers open but not in half with small sharp knife then scoop out the seeds with a small spoon. Place peppers in a shallow baking dish and stuff each split pepper with lots of the corn/turkey mix, top each pepper with 1/8 cup cheese (or 2 Tablespoons) and place back under broiler to melt and char the cheese.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Stuffed Pepper)
Calories:  310
Protein:  32.8g
Carbs:  25.8
Fat:  8g (2.6g = Sat.)
Fiber:  3.5g
Sugars:  7.5g

Quinoa!  Oh, how I love quinoa!  If quinoa is new to you, it’s time you try it.  It’s a grain and when cooked in water it fluffs up like rice or couscous.  (Thus, it can make a great substitute in dishes where you might think of using rice or couscous.)  It comes in red or white, but I seem to see it more regularly sold in the white variety.  Quinoa is very good for you as it has a higher protein content than any other grain and it’s a complete protein to boot (meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids).  It’s gluten free, rich in fiber, low on the glycemic index, and includes lots of healthy nutrients (including calcium, iron, and protein).  It cooks up similar to rice (using 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water), but I suggest rinsing the quinoa before cooking.

Now. . . this recipe was delicious!  It was a nice change-up to our weekly menu.  We loved how the flavors came together, and the texture was great.  We love a little spice in our house, so we think that using the hot sauce is a MUST.  It really takes the overall flavor to a new level.  I loved how I could make this all in one pan.  Even better, I loved that we had leftovers for the following day because I couldn’t wait to eat more of it!

Dirty Quinoa
Adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

1 lb lean ground Turkey
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup medium white or yellow onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1/2 medium green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green onion, sliced thinly (dark green parts separated from white/light green)
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
2 cups chicken broth/stock
1 bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne (optional)
Tobasco sauce (optional)

Brown lean ground turkey in a non-stick pan over medium heat until mostly browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Stir frequently until the vegetables begin to brown. Add garlic and white/light green parts of the green onion. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.

Pour in quinoa and stir to mix. Add cooked ground turkey, chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally) until the liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste. Serve topped with green onions, additional chopped bell pepper (if desired), along side your trusty bottle of hot sauce.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories:  371
Protein:  29g
Carbs:  35.7g
Fat:  12.6g  (2.8 = Sat)