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Here's the deal. I am going to start this post by saying this may not be the healthiest recipe on here. It's jam-packed stuffed with cheese and rice. Interpret that as you will- my body tolerates cheese better than it can tolerate wheat and sugar. Knowing that I let myself go wild with the queso. Fair warning, this recipe makes A LOT. It would be great for a family dinner, dinner party, or as leftovers (they reheat great!). These Italian Stuffed peppers are gluten-free, PCOS friendly, and make for such a comforting weeknight dinner!
Out of full transparency, I do have PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and my main trigger for flare-ups are refined wheat flours and sugars. With having PCOS, one of the biggest factors is having elevated insulin levels. I have always struggled with having low blood sugar levels and when I was diagnosed, everything finally made sense. So I try to avoid refined carbs in an effort to help my little PCOS body regulate the insulin levels- with the exception of rice and potatoes in moderation- I don't have as many adverse effects. The moral of the story is a little bit of cheese is one of my own biggest guilty pleasures. Have you been able to tell that most of my (Lexi) recipes usually include bread and sugar alternatives and most of Dana's are plant-based?
This recipe is such a comfort food for me. And stuffed peppers are so versatile, I make this Italian version and a Mexican version, it's just a matter of swapping out the sauce-- use salsa instead of marinara and add beans instead of mushrooms! When I was developing this recipe I was told that this was the best version of stuffed peppers I have ever made. That's saying a lot because we make stuffed peppers at least 2x/month.
Ingredients
Bell Peppers
Ground beef, turkey or chicken
Rice
Mushrooms
Marinara Sauce (I try to find one without any added sugars)
Mozzarella & Parm Cheese
Basil for Garnish
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Easy swaps
Swap the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken
Swap marinara sauce for jarred crushed tomatoes for more control
Swap the rice for cauliflower rice
Omit the mushrooms if you ain't a fan
Swap the cheese for a dairy free melty cheese alternative
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If you make these gluten free, PCOS diet friendly Italian Stuffed Peppers make sure to tag us @dishesonthedl and use #dishesonthedl
Thanks for stopping by!
