Bell peppers come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, making them a delicious and versatile ingredient in many recipes.
Most of us enjoy eating them raw or adding them to all sorts of dishes that include soups, salads, stews, casseroles and more. They’re a delicious, colorful, crunchy addition to many veggie trays.
A few slices of bell peppers provide a surprising number of health benefits, including helping to lower cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of developing heart disease.
Bell peppers boost your overall health; they are super-high in nutrients, which makes them very healthy to eat.
Be sure to include bell peppers in your plan for healthy meals. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and offer a wide variety of health benefits including:
- Boost your immune system health
- Support eye health
- Offer protection against cancer
- Reduce cholesterol
- Enhance your mood
- Provide relief from pain
- Maintain skin and hair health
- Prevent anemia
Now let’s talk about basil!
Did you know that basil is not only a popular folk remedy for ailments like nausea and bug bites but also widely utilized in traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine and other holistic medicine systems?
There are many varieties of basil but sweet basil is used most often in cooking. Though fresh basil gives a stronger flavor, dried basil is less expensive and more convenient. You can also buy basil frozen into recipe-portioned cubes in the freezer section of stores. Basil gives zest to tomato dishes, salads, zucchini, eggplant, meat seasonings, stuffing, soups, sauces and more.
It’s easy to grow your own basil. You can grow it anywhere where the nights are warm for more than two months. Basil is sensitive to the cold and likes to be outdoors during the day. You can start a plant from a seed planted in dirt or cut a piece off of a plant you’re growing and put it in water. Basil does best in pots that drain well.
Basil comes in many varieties. While this herb may not contribute significant nutrients to your diet (because it is generally used in small quantities), it can spice up your meals.
Time for a recipe, right? Let’s mix these bell peppers with some basil and create an amazingly easy, quick anti-inflammatory meal in minutes! If you already own The Official Anti-Inflammatory Diet Masterclass, you can find this recipe in Fall Simple Recipes, Dinner Week 4.
Basil Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 bell peppers halved lengthwise and cleaned
- 1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil
- ½ large onion diced
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- 1 lb ground beef, turkey or chicken
- 1 cup cauliflower rice thawed, if frozen
- 6 basil leaves chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Warm the oil in a skillet and saute the onions, salt and pepper until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes and garlic to the pan and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add the ground meat and basil. Saute until completely cooked.
- Add cauliflower rice to the pan and combine.
- Fill each pepper half with the meat mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Serve with a side salad or roasted sweet potatoes.
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