Transatlantic Tastes: Stuffed Bell Peppers

Transatlantic Tastes is back for another year and we're starting 2013 off right, with a deliciously healthy recipe for stuffed bell peppers! When N and I talked about which recipe we wanted to try for our first cooking session of the year, she came across the following tasty dish on Skinny Taste: Santa Fe Turkey Stuffed Peppers. Filled with lots of healthy ingredients like ground turkey, corn, tomato and onion, these peppers turned out to be quite the substantial meal.


The ingredient list was fairly simple enough, but as usual, I made a few changes. I didn't include the black beans (I'm not a huge fan of beans unless they're swimming in tomato sauce and slathered on toast) and I couldn't find pickled hot serrano peppers so I used fresh. (I expect it would've tasted pretty much the same though, pickled or fresh.) Regardless of the changes, however, the peppers were really, really good, and really, really filling.


The only real seasonings used in this recipe were cumin, garlic and cilantro, plus a little salt and pepper. Even so, it was very flavourful. Next time I try these peppers, I might season them with a bit of taco seasoning mix, to try a different flavour.

Once the filling was all fried up and the peppers were stuffed, I popped them in the oven in a baking dish with a little water at the bottom to prevent them from burning on the bottom.



About 10 minutes before they were done, I pulled them out and sprinkled some old cheddar and mozzarella cheese on top, and stuck them back in the oven under the broiler. The result? Delicious cheesey goodness.



My cooking partner's peppers were a success as well, and when we both ate a pepper each, we were stuffed! If you're looking for a delicious, healthy, relatively easy recipe, something different from the norm, then I suggest you try these peppers - you won't be disappointed!

2013, Here We Go!

Well, we're almost a month into 2013 and it's time to talk about Resolutions. Did you make any for this new year? I'll admit, I've been struggling a bit with trying to figure out what I'd like to accomplish during the next twelve months. Last year, I did a pretty good job with two out of my four resolutions: I read more, thanks to my Book Club, and I definitely cooked more, thanks to Transatlantic Tastes, but I didn't spend less money (judging from the numerous pairs of new shoes in my closet) and I didn't really worry less. (I knew those two would be tricky, especially the worrying part - Captain Over-Thinker, right here, folks).


Since I was so successful with my "more's" last year, my overall resolution is to Do More: Cooking, Reading, Whatever.


My cooking partner and I are planning on keeping up with our cooking, but we've decided to step it up a notch and branch out from the wonderful Jamie Oliver. (N is convinced we're now "advanced" chefs. We'll see how this goes.) As we're both pretty active on Pinterest, we've come across a lot of recipes that we're looking forward to trying out. So, one resolution: Cook More (Again).

As I said above, I read more in 2012, thanks to the Book Club I joined with some friends. As I now have a Kobo Vox, courtesy of my mother, I've been downloading books like they're going out of style, but that hasn't stopped me from actually purchasing physical books as well. What I'm currently reading: Forgotten, by Catherine McKenzie. I've read her other two books, Arranged and Spin and loved them both, so I'm looking forward to this one very much. Book Club has started up again this month so I'll also be reading Wild, by Cheryl Strayed in the next couple of days. So, my second resolution: Read More (Again).

My last resolution is to Do More in general. "Do more what?" you might ask? Do more whatever. Do more cardio at the gym, do more volunteering, do more exploring, do more blogging, whatever! Just do more. Use the time I have to do as much as possible. As I said in my 2012 Year in Review, quoting the Holstee Manifesto: "Do what you love and do it often." Well, I'm going to do more of what I love, and do it often.




I called 2013 my Break Out Year, and I think it really will be. Time to "Do More" for me, because I owe it to myself. So, with almost one month down, here we go. Here's to 2013! My Break Out Year, the best year yet!

I've got my game face on. Bring it, 2013!