Bell Peppers
Back to Recipes
Varieties
Storage
Bell Pepper Ideas
Stuffed Peppers
Tunisian Roasted Vegetables w/ Tuna
Bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C. If you thought citrus fruits packed a powerful punch when it comes to being a good source of vitamin C, peppers have them beat. Green peppers have twice the amount of vitamin C by weight than citrus fruits, and this powerful punch of vitamin C is an antioxidant that may be effective in preventing certain cancers. Red bell peppers have three times as much vitamin C as the green varieties and are a good source of beta carotene.
Bell peppers can be found in a rainbow of colors and can vary in flavor. The variety of the pepper plant and the stage of the ripeness determine the flavor and color of each pepper. For example, a red bell pepper is simply a mature green bell pepper. As a bell pepper ages, its flavor becomes sweeter and milder. Red bell peppers contain eleven times more beta carotene than green bell peppers.
Store unwashed bell peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for about a week. Green bell peppers will stay fresh a little longer than the yellow and red ones. For long-term storage, cut them in the size you'd like to use them in later, put them in a zip-lock bag, and stick them in the freezer.
Bell Pepper
Ideas
Looking to use up those bell peppers? Here’s a batch of ideas for casual, throw-together dishes that show peppers off to their advantage.
 |
Use them to create colorful and exciting meals by adding a mixture of different colored sliced or chopped peppers to your favorite salads, pastas, and Chinese or Mexican dishes. |
|
They can be used as a colorful garnish. |
|
Include sliced peppers on your next veggie tray. |
|
Carve out peppers and stuff them with rice or use them as colorful containers for dips or other edible items. |
From www.foodreference.com.
Kebabs: String pieces of bell pepper on skewers with chunks of chicken and cherry tomatoes and grill them. Try them with chunks of zucchini and a yogurt-lemon marinade or with pineapple and a teriyaki glaze. Both peppers and zucchini benefit from a brief stint in the microwave before grilling, so they’re tender when the chicken is cooked.
Gazpacho: Blend tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, celantro, and lime juice with a dash of hot pepper sauce. Chill thoroughly.
Sandwiches: Sauté slices of onion and bell pepper and tuck them into rolls with grilled sausage.
Stuffed: Fill them with your favorite stuffing and bake.
Stuffed Peppers
4 large bell peppers of any color
2 1/2 cups precooked rice
3 Tbs. capers, chopped
1/2 cup prosciutto or ham, chopped
1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup of green olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small zucchini cut Into small dice
1/4 cup fresh parsley
6 Tbs. olive oil
Salt & pepper
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 Teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
Heat the garlic in 2 Tbs. of oil. Add the chopped tomatoes, fresh basil and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°. Cut off the tops of the peppers, and clean out the membranes. Chop the meat off two of the pepper tops. In a pan over medium heat, sauté the onions, chopped pepper, and zucchini until tender in 2 Tbs. of oil. Mix together the sautéed ingredients with the rice, olives, capers, pine nuts, prosciutto and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff each pepper fairly firmly and place the four peppers in a baking dish upright. Add one cup of water to the baking dish, drizzle with the 2 Tbs. of the oil and bake for about 30 minutes until tender. Serve hot or room temperature with a drizzle of the fresh tomato sauce.
From www.italianfoodforever.com.
Tunisian Roasted Vegetables w/ Tuna
4 bell peppers—red, green, yellow, or a combination
1 medium onion, unpeeled
4 medium tomatoes
1 small green chile—jalapeño or serrano—seeded and minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 (3½-ounce) can light tuna packed in oil, drained
2 hard-cooked eggs, cut into wedges
Preheat the oven to 475°. Put the peppers and onion on a baking sheet on the top shelf of the oven for 30 minutes. Add the tomatoes for the last 5 minutes. The vegetables should be soft and very well browned.
Peel and seed the peppers, then diced them. Peel and dice the onion. Peel the tomatoes, take out as many seeds as you can, and dice the flesh. Save any juices for the salad.
Put the vegetables in a serving bowl and stir in the chili. Whisk the oil and lemon juice together in a small bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently. Crumble the tuna over the top of the salad, arrange the egg slices over the tuna, and serve.
From The Low-Carb Cookbook by Fran McCullough.