Rice-Stuffed Red Pepper

Name: Rice-Stuffed Red Pepper
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 servings.
Ingredients: 1 medium sweet red pepper; 1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms; 1/2 cup chopped onion; 1 small garlic clove, minced; 2 teaspoons butter; 1 cup cooked rice; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon pepper; 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese; 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Cooking for two is effortless when you have a recipe like this one from Mary Cloninger of Kennewick, Washington. “It’s a favorite of mine and my husband’s,” Mary says. “You can use any color bell pepper you want, but red is so pretty.”

Ingredients

1 medium sweet red pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup cooked rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Directions

Cut red pepper in half lengthwise and remove seeds. In a large saucepan, cook pepper halves in boiling water for 4-6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse in cold water; set aside.
In a small skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the rice, salt and pepper. Spoon into pepper halves. Combine feta cheese and basil; sprinkle over filling.
Place in two small baking dishes coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through and cheese is lightly browned.

Nutrition Facts

1/2 each: 208 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 473mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 6g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat.

Originally published as Cheese-Rice Stuffed Peppers in Cooking for 2 Spring 2008