This family friendly recipe isn’t exactly stuffed peppers. Because the peppers aren’t stuffed, they’re diced. But it is similar to stuffed peppers. And it is family friendly. Such an easy weeknight meal too! Thirty minutes max. Five out of five children ate every bite. Four out five children asked for more (even the toddler!). The post contains tips for preparing the dish. The full recipe is at the bottom of the page.
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I had a roll of ground sausage in the fridge that I just couldn’t think of anything to do with. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get in a cooking rut and nothing either sounds good to me or I don’t feel like making it.
We had grilled cheese one night and a quick dinner-on-the-go another night. That sausage just sat there. But I knew it wouldn’t last forever. And my frugal nature won’t allow me to let something go to waste.
Finally feeling some inspiration, I offered my hubby a few different options. This is the one he chose. So I set to work.
I rarely follow recipes. And when I do, I can’t help but tweak them to make them my own. So here is my family friendly (not quite) stuffed peppers recipe.
I had just stocked up on fresh veggies. So I tried to use as many of them as I could. One of my favorite things about cooking in spring/summer is all the fresh vegetables I get to use.
I had some previously fresh bell peppers I had diced and frozen last week. To keep things easy, I threw those and some diced onion and garlic in a frying pan with olive oil.
Next, I added in chopped zucchini (the smaller the dice, the more kid-friendly the veggie!). And a can of diced tomatoes. I know…..canned. I didn’t have any fresh tomatoes on hand today.
Another good thing about this recipe is that you can use just about any type of vegetable in it, and it will still be delicious. I’m thinking squash, beans, corn, peas, etc. would all be yummy.
I had put the rice on to cook before I started everything else and added it to the mixture once it was done. All but one member of my family loves rice. Like, I’m talking cheers when they found out we were having rice for supper! Silly kids.
Last came the salt and pepper. And the dish was done! We’re talking maybe 30 minutes start to finish. I love quick and healthful meals. Super tasty makes it even better!
I served it as the main dish with a side salad and homemade salad dressing. Yum!
I know your family will love this family friendly stuffed peppers recipe as much as mine did!
P.S. This recipe is naturally gluten free. So no tweaks required! I call that a super win!
I’d love to know if you gave this recipe a try! Does your family have any favorite veggies that went well in the mixture? What did you serve with it?
*Recipe under image*
Family Friendly Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 whole bell pepper
1 small onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 lb ground sausage or hamburger
1 medium zucchini
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups (uncooked) brown rice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Directions
Place 2 cups rice with 3.5 cups water on to boil.
Preheat frying pan on med/high heat with 2 tbsp olive oil.
When oil is hot, sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic.
Brown sausage/hamburger, drain. Stir in with sautéed veggies. Lower heat to med/low.
Add in zucchini, tomato, and other veggies of your choice.
Stir in rice and salt and pepper.
Enjoy!
There are plenty more family friendly recipes where this one came from! Check out all my kid-tested and approved recipes here! Like my kids’ favorite – Barbecue Pie. Or my favorite – Kid-Friendly Enchiladas. I do more than recipes! See the pages Activities, Reviews, and Moments for so much more family-oriented content.
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