Healthy Highlight: Bell Peppers

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One of my favorite vegetables is a bell pepper, simply because it is so versatile. Any dish can be elevated with an array of sautéed peppers, so why not bring a little delicious color to the dish? Every color pepper has great benefits, but if you are looking for the most beneficial pepper, go for red!

  • One medium red bell pepper provides 169% of the RDI for Vitamin C
  • Bell peppers of all colors are rich in antioxidants, specifically capsanthin, violaxanthin, and lutein
  • Bell peppers are great for improving eye health and protecting your retina
  • Red peppers are a great source of iron to help those with anemia

Recipes:

Pan-Roasted Peppers (Thespruceeats.com)

  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Orange or Yellow Bell Pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 1 Red Bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 2 tablespoons Water
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add all of the peppers all at once.
  3. Sauté the peppers, stirring and turning frequently, until the pepper skins start to blister and turn brown in spots.
  4. Add the water, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Cover the pan and cook for 1 minute so the peppers steam.
  6. Uncover the pan, stir the peppers for 1 minute longer, then serve immediately.

Stuffed Bell Peppers (Foodnetwork.com)

  • 6 Bell Peppers of Any Color
  • 4 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 8 ounces lean Ground Beef
  • Kosher Salt and fresh ground Pepper
  • 1 Onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
  • 1 medium Zucchini, finely diced
  • 4 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 cup cooked Long-Grain and Wild Rice
  • 1 1/2 cups Grated Pepper Jack Cheese
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cut the tops off the peppers. Remove and discard the stems, then finely chop the tops; set aside. Scoop out the seeds and as much of the membrane as you can. Place the peppers cut-side up in a baking dish just large enough to hold them upright.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking up the lumps, until the meat is cooked through and just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to get rid of the fat.
  4. Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onions and chopped peppers and cook until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and zucchini and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and a pinch or 2 of red pepper flakes. Cook until everything is heated through, then stir in the beef and rice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese.
  5. Fill the peppers with the rice mixture and top each with a sprinkle of the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Pour a small amount of water into the bottom of the baking dish and drizzle the peppers with a little olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the peppers are soft and the cheese is melted and lightly browned, another 15 to 20 minutes.

One Pot Unstuffed Bell Peppers (budgetbytes.com)

  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 1 Yellow Onion
  • 2 Bell Peppers
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1/2 pound Ground Beef
  • 1 15 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 cup Long Grain White Rice, uncooked
  • 1 teaspoon dried Basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked Black Pepper
  • 1.5 cups Beef Broth
  • 1 8 ounce can Tomato Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella
  • 1 tablespoon chopped Parsley for garnish
  1. Mince the garlic and dice the onion and bell pepper.
  2. Add the olive oil and ground beef to a deep skillet. Cook the beef over medium heat until it is fully browned.
  3. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, minced garlic, basil, oregano, and pepper to the skillet. Continue to cook and stir until the onions are soft.
  4. Next, add the diced tomatoes (with juices), uncooked rice, and beef broth. Give everything a brief stir to combine.
  5. Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the broth to come up to a full boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let it continue to simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest, lid still in place, for another five minutes.
  6. While the pot is simmering, combine the tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
  7. Once the rice has rested for 5 minutes, remove the lid and fluff it with a fork, gently folding the ingredients back together (peppers and tomatoes may float to the top while it simmers).
  8. Pour the prepared tomato sauce over top, then sprinkled the shredded mozzarella over the sauce. Place the lid back on top and let the heat from the skillet melt the mozzarella. Once melted, sprinkle a little chopped parsley on top and serve.