The party invitation arrived — an appetizer potluck. My mind ran through the typical selection of hors d'oeuvre, but nothing quite caught my fancy. I realized that so many party foods I tend to see are either dips that don't quite fill you up or heavier (and not necessarily the most nutritious) options such as chicken nuggets and sliders.
My goal for my appetizer: a one-bite burst of nutrition! That's when I landed on Mini Mediterranean Party Peppers. Stuffed bell peppers are often a hearty hit at the dinner table, so why not downsize them for a light, tasty and healthy bite at the party table?
The recipe provides vitamin C from bell peppers, onion and stewed tomatoes; protein and vitamin B12 from lean ground turkey; iron, folate and vitamin K from spinach; and a little boost of fiber and protein from the bulgur.
Mini Mediterranean Party Peppers
Ingredients
- ½ pound lean ground turkey breast
- 5 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 cup diced squash
- ½ cup minced onion
- ¼ cup uncooked bulgur or quinoa
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch ground black pepper
- 1 14½-ounce can stewed tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
- 12 mini bell peppers, halved lengthwise, cores and ribs removed
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine turkey, spinach, squash, onion, bulgur, egg, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Add half of the chopped tomatoes and stir to combine.
- Arrange peppers, cut side up, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fill each pepper halfway with the turkey-vegetable mixture.
- Top each pepper with a couple of pieces of diced tomatoes. Sprinkle the tops with feta cheese.
- Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for about 7 to 10 minutes more, until turkey is completely cooked through and the filling reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.