Stuffed Bell Peppers with Beef, Brown Rice, and Cheese

I've been trying to start the new year out right, with some new healthy recipes that utilize the veggies I need to eat with the deliciousness that I look for in a dish! Tonight, I tried something I've never made before- Stuffed Bell Peppers! No as local as I would have liked, but it's full of veggies, healthy brown rice, and lean, naturally-raised ground beef. It's about to come out of the oven now, and it smells wonderful. Want to try it with me?

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Beef, Brown Rice, and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 4 bell peppers, red, yellow, or green
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) tomato sauce
• 2 clove garlics, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 cup cooked long-grain brown rice
• shredded Mexican-style cheese, about 1/2 cup
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix

Preparation:

1. Cut tops off peppers, put in an appropriate-sized oven safe dish. Chop edible part of tops and set aside. Also chop onions and garlic.
2. Preheat oven to 375!
3. Sauté chopped green pepper (from tops) and ground beef, until beef is browned. 
4. At the same time, cook your rice, (1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water in a pot, bring to boil, then simmer and cover for 20(ish) minutes. 
5. When beef and rice are done, combine into a large bowl with your chopped onions and garlic. Now add tomato sauce and cheese. Mix well. 
6. Stuff peppers with the beef and rice mixture and place into your baking dish. Pour about 1/3 cup  tomato mixture over the stuffed peppers. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Top stuffed peppers with a little shredded Cheddar cheese just before peppers are done; bake until cheese is melted.

Recipe for stuffed peppers serves 6.

Enjoy!!!