Beef Stuffed Peppers with Cauliflower and Broccoli Rice

I’ve just recently tried stuffed peppers for the first time since I grew up without thinking I liked peppers (I was an incredibly picky eater!). I love how easy they are to assemble and how the peppers don’t only provide a container for the meat, but they provide an edible container. Kind of like a bread bowl…but without the guilt!

Ingredients

3 green bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise

1 lb ground beef, 90% lean, 10% fat

1 yellow onion, diced

Cauliflower & Broccoli rice mixture (I found mine pre-made in my local grocery story, but you can usually find cauliflower rice on its own in the freezer veggie section and just use that!)

1 tsp olive oil

28 oz. tomato sauce

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cheese, to sprinkle on the peppers before cooking

Directions

  1. Set oven to preheat at 400 degrees F.
  2. In a skillet, heat olive oil and saute onions until translucent.
  3. Add in ground beef, and cook until fully brown.
  4. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika and stir to combine with all meat.
  5. Stir in half of the tomato sauce (about 14 oz.) and heat until just starting to bubble. Add in the cauliflower/broccoli rice and stir to combine. Add in a little more salt and pepper or seasonings, to taste, if desired.
  6. Place the peppers, cut in half lengthwise, into a 9×13 baking dish. Spoon the meat and rice mixture into each pepper carefully.
  7. Pour a little extra sauce on each one. Then, carefully top with about 1 tbsp shredded cheese of your choice (I used a Mexican blend).
  8. Next, take the remaining can of tomato sauce and mix with water until it has a thinner consistency. Carefully pour about 1/2 inch of liquid into the bottom of the baking dish.
  9. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
  10. After time is up, take the dish out and uncover it, allowing the peppers to cool a bit. Serve two at a time!

Weight Watchers Freestyle SP: 3 points for one serving (1 full pepper per serving). Points were calculated using the Recipe Builder on the WW app.

Note: Nutrition information may not be exact. Ingredients were estimated and entered using verywellfit.com’s Nutrition Calculator. Calories reflect one serving of dip only.

Baked Beef Empanadas

When there is endless college basketball on, you need to have some finger foods ready to go! Check out these awesome (and easy) baked empanadas.  Cut some calories with these delicious snacks that will be gone in seconds.

Ingredients

12 empanada wrappers (I used GOYA)

2 lbs ground beef

1 medium onion

4 tbsp sofrito (I used GOYA)

GOYA Adobo seasoning, to taste

Olive oil

1 egg, whisked, for egg wash

Directions

1 . Coat large skillet with olive oil.  Saute onions and add in ground beef.  Make sure all ground beef is thoroughly cooked through and browned on all sides.

2.  Add in 4 tbsp of sofrito seasoning to coat beef and let simmer.
3.  Generously sprinkle GOYA Adobo seasoning on all of meat and mix in thoroughly.  Add more or less to taste.

4.  Once meat is cooked and seasoned, take an empanada wrapper and fill one half with beef mixture.  Fold it over and press and seal with a fork.
5.  Crack and whisk one egg.  With a pastry brush, coat both sides of each empanada with the egg wash to help it crisp up in the oven.
6.  Baked on an ungreased baking sheet at 375 F for 15-20 minutes, or until empanada wrappers look cooked and crispy.
7.  Serve and enjoy!! 

These seriously went so fast.  Next time, I will definitely make two batches!!

Baked Beef Empanadas

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients
12 empanada wrappers (I used GOYA)
2 lbs ground beef
1 medium onion
4 tbsp sofrito (I used GOYA)
GOYA Adobo seasoning, to taste
Olive oil
1 egg, whisked, for egg wash

Directions
1 . Coat large skillet with olive oil. Saute onions and add in ground beef. Make sure all ground beef is thoroughly cooked through and browned on all sides.
2. Add in 4 tbsp of sofrito seasoning to coat beef and let simmer.
3. Generously sprinkle GOYA Adobo seasoning on all of meat and mix in thoroughly. Add more or less to taste.
4. Once meat is cooked and seasoned, take an empanada wrapper and fill one half with beef mixture. Fold it over and press and seal with a fork.
5. Crack and whisk one egg. With a pastry brush, coat both sides of each empanada with the egg wash to help it crisp up in the oven.
6. Baked on an ungreased baking sheet at 375 F for 15-20 minutes, or until empanada wrappers look cooked and crispy.
7. Serve and enjoy!!

Weight Watcher Freestyle SP: 8 per empanada. Points were calculated using the Recipe Builder on the Weight Watchers app.

Note: Nutrition information may not be exact. Ingredients were estimated and entered using verywellfit.com’s Nutrition Calculator.