My morning routine goes something like this:  

5:30 workout at the gym
6:45 coffee, make lunches, catch up on e-mails
7:15 breakfast and the common question – “What do you want for dinner?”

I don’t ask that question because I’m starving for a pork chop, right now — I just want a heads up on what I should take out of the freezer to defrost, so that I’m not caught at 6:30 that night with no plan.  Not that it doesn’t happen, but at least with something defrosted, I’ve got a loose framework of where to start.

Scott’s typical response to that question is “something healthy” — which is absolutely no help when I want to know what to take out of the freezer.  On this particular morning, however, he surprised me and said, “How about some stuffed vegetables?”  Wow!  Impressive.  Like he actually gave it some thought.  

So, I thought, “Great!  We’ll have those Italian-esque turkey stuffed peppers for dinner.”   But as the day wore on, I was craving Tex-Mex.  Does that ever happen to you?  Your brain gets fixated on one craving? (And no, I’m not pregnant.)

Instead of pulling out the marinara and mozzarella, I reached for the cumin, chili powder and other spices.  I mixed the turkey with the spices and added some sauteed vegetables,  along with cooked quinoa  to help bind it all together and to up the protein factor.

I scraped the gills from the mushrooms and filled them with the savory turkey mixture.  It made so much filling, that I actually had some leftover, so I halved a bell pepper and stuffed it as well.

A little cheese on top and into the oven they went.  Scott and Emily loved them!   He kept commenting about how good they were between bites.  These stuffed mushrooms were savory and meaty with a toasty-spicy Tex-Mex flavor!

One mushroom cap is plenty for one serving and it’s even better with a little salsa, cilantro and green onion on top.  This is a simple, healthy, delicious and very satisfying meal.  The best part – there was plenty for leftovers the next night!  Win!

Turkey Taco Stuffed Vegetables

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ground turkey, mexican, vegetables

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 157 kcal

Stuffed vegetables loaded with a meaty turkey filling makes a healthy, satisfying meal! 

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Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked quinoa cooled
• 1 cup onion diced
• 1 medium zucchini shredded
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 pound ground turkey breast
• 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno chopped
• 6 portobello mushroom caps or bell pepper halves -- I used 4 mushroom caps and split 1 bell pepper
• 1/2 cup cheese such as cheddar or Monterey Jack, grated

For the taco seasoning

• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• pinch crushed red pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

for garnish

• cheese such as cheddar or Monterey Jack, grated
• green onions sliced
• cilantro
• salsa

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large skillet over medium high heat add one tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, zucchini and garlic and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add the turkey, breaking it up and stirring until browned. Add the taco seasoning and cook for one additional minute. Remove the turkey from heat and add the sautéed vegetables back to the pan. Add the cooked quinoa and pickled jalapeños and stir to combine.
3. Stuff the portobello caps and bell peppers generously with turkey stuffing. Place the stuffed vegetables on the baking sheet. Cover lightly with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Divide cheese among the stuffed vegetables and bake for 8-10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and transfer to a serving platter. Serve topped with garnishes.

Recipe Notes

Mushroom caps will hold a lot of moisture and may leak onto your baking sheet. If they seem to be very wet, pick the mushroom caps up with both hands and gently tilt it so that the excess liquid can escape. Transfer to a serving platter.

Nutrition Facts

Turkey Taco Stuffed Vegetables

Amount Per Serving

Calories 157 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 8g 12%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 9mg 3%

Sodium 546mg 23%

Potassium 501mg 14%

Total Carbohydrates 14g 5%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Sugars 4g

Protein 6g 12%

Vitamin A 8.8%

Vitamin C 10.5%

Calcium 9.5%

Iron 7.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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