Greek-Style Biftekia Burger

Everybody knows that summer is grilling season.

In my house, I am not the griller.  I'm the one shaping the burger patties, marinating the chicken, and assembling all of the sides.  I have a small arsenal of seasonings I like to use for burgers and other grilled meats, but this summer, I'm trying to expand that.  

My curiosity was peaked when we recently took a weekend trip to Atlantic City.  I'm a huge Hard Rock Cafe fan, and I love collecting hurricane glasses for the bar in our entertainment room at home.  While we were there, the company was promoting a burger menu inspired by different cultural cuisines.  It really spoke to me as someone who loves grilling, but wants to spice up their menu with some different flavors from around the world. 

So, naturally, I started doing some research.

My first experiment is this Greek-inspired patty called Biftekia.  To me, it seems very reminiscent of a traditional meatloaf recipe, formed into individual patties.  I cooked these "plain" first, to make them as traditional as possible.  Then, I tried them with a slice of feta warmed over the top, similar to the way you would melt a slice of american cheese over a typical hamburger patty.  The feta added a lot of flavor and made this feel way more "Greek".  These would probably be really good with the feta stuffed inside the patty, too!

After making traditional Biftekia, I wanted to make a Greek-inspired burger.  I took the flavors of Greece and put them on a traditional Biftekia patty and slapped it all between two toasted hamburger buns.

If you're like me, and you've never been to Greece, this burger will make you long for a Mediterranean getaway!

Biftekia

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 tbsp. minced garlic

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

2 tbsp. parsley

1 tsp. dried oregano

Suggested Toppings:

Hamburger rolls

Slices of Feta cheese

Lettuce or arugula 

Tomato slices

Cucumber slices

Diced kalamata olives

Tzatziki

Saute onions in olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and cook an additional minute.  Remove from heat.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. 

Form 4-6 equal-sized patties from the meat mixture.

Cook over a grill until well-done.  These should not be pink in the center.

Top with a slice of feta while grilling to let it melt if desired.  Toast hamburger buns on grill by placing them cut-side-down on grill and letting this brown slightly before removing from heat.

Place Biftekia patty between two hamburger buns.  Garnish with toppings of your choice.  

Biftekia

Everybody knows that summer is grilling season.

In my house, I am not the griller.  I'm the one shaping the burger patties, marinating the chicken, and assembling all of the sides.  I have a small arsenal of seasonings I like to use for burgers and other grilled meats, but this summer, I'm trying to expand that.  

My curiosity was peaked when we recently took a weekend trip to Atlantic City.  I'm a huge Hard Rock Cafe fan, and I love collecting hurricane glasses for the bar in our entertainment room at home.  While we were there, the company was promoting a burger menu inspired by different cultural cuisines.  It really spoke to me as someone who loves grilling, but wants to spice up their menu with some different flavors from around the world. 

So, naturally, I started doing some research.

My first experiment is this Greek-inspired patty called Biftekia.  To me, it seems very reminiscent of a traditional meatloaf recipe, formed into individual patties.  I cooked these "plain" first, to make them as traditional as possible.  Then, I tried them with a slice of feta warmed over the top, similar to the way you would melt a slice of american cheese over a typical hamburger patty.  The feta added a lot of flavor and made this feel way more "Greek".  These would probably be really good with the feta stuffed inside the patty, too!

I'm excited to spend the rest of the summer season trying more variations on hamburger patties that add a cool cultural twist to my summer grilling menu!

Biftekia

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 tbsp. minced garlic

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

2 tbsp. parsley

1 tsp. dried oregano

Slices of feta, if desired (optional)

Saute onions in olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and cook an additional minute.  Remove from heat.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. 

Form 4-6 equal-sized patties from the meat mixture.

Cook over a grill until well-done.  These should not be pink in the center.

Top with a slice of feta while grilling to let it melt if desired.

Funghi Porcini al Dragoncello (Mushrooms with Tarragon Sauce)

I want to go to Italy.

I've recently been scouring through ideas about things I want to do after I graduate next spring.  I love going on cruises, so I'm considering an extended trip sailing through the Mediterranean.  Of all the places in the world, that's pretty much the one place I really want to see.

I make a lot of Italian food, but I have to admit, I really American-ize my multi-cultural meals.  Sometimes, I like to scour the internet for a real, authentic dish.

I found this recipe porcini mushrooms sauteed with lemon juice and tarragon.  The recipe was pretty simple, so of course, I had to complicate it by making a whole batch of Dragoncello Sauce and using that.  But, since I love the flavor of terragon and this sauce, I enjoy using it on these mushrooms for my own spin on an authentic Italian side dish.

I can't wait to try this out in Italy someday and see how my recipe measures up!










Funghi Porcini al Dragoncello

8 porcini mushrooms

Dragoncello Sauce

1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp finely diced terragon
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp. lemon juice
Salt & Pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp olive oil

 

Toss mushrooms in a dry skillet over medium heat.  Let the moisture cook out of the mushrooms for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine vinegar, terragon, garlic, lemon juice and seasoning in a bowl.  

 

Add the dragoncello sauce to the pan and cook an additional 5-10 minutes.

Eggplant Parmesan Stuffed Eggplant

I was a vegan once.  For, maybe, 15 minutes.

I told my family I was going vegan one random afternoon, and I think that by dinnertime, I had given up.

I was only about 16 at the time, and I didn't really have a serious grasp on why I made most of my daily decisions.  I don't think it was a moral decision as much as I just wanted to will myself to eat more vegetables.

Nowadays, I eat meat at pretty much every meal.  It's one of my favorite food groups and my favorite form of protein.  But, I'm trying to eat better and experiment with more vegetables, including adding some vegetarian meals to my rotation.

I think that making veggie boats is creative and incredible beautiful when you're trying to be thoughtful of the final presentation.  It looks interesting while still maintaining  all the delicious flavor of a traditional meal.  This eggplant parmesan is definitely flavored the way you would expect, but it's kicked up a notch by the impressive presentation.

I made this two ways because I wanted to try it full-vegetarian, but I know that people in my family would prefer a meaty version, so I did one eggplant boat with marinara sauce, and one boat with a meat-laden bolognese.  You could do either depending on your preference.

If you want to create a stunning dinner display for your family, this is a super interesting way to serve a delicious meal of eggplant parmesan!

Eggplant Parmesan Stuffed Eggplant

1 medium-sized eggplant, halved

1 lb. spaghetti

2 cups marinara sauce (or Bolognese)

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

 

Preheat oven 450F.

 

Scoop out the middle of the eggplant halves, leaving about 1/2" border to keep the eggplant skin firm.

 

Drizzle olive oil over the inside of the eggplant.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place face down on a baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes. 

 

In a pot, cook spaghetti according to package instructions and drain. 

 

Cut the "meat" of the eggplant into small pieces.  Saute eggplant in olive oil over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until soft.  Add the marinara or bolognese and cook for 10-15 minutes.

 

Combine sauce with spaghetti and pour noodles into cooked eggplant shells.  Top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

 

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Guasacaca

Expanding my horizons.

I recently went to Philadelphia, PA.  While I was there, I went out to a restaurant with guasacaca on the menu.  I read the brief description and was intrigued.  I made a note to look it up when I got home so I could attempt to make it.  Even though I'm not a huge fan of avocados, I do like guacamole so I wanted to try this.

According to my research, this sauce is a Venezuelan condiment used as often there as we might use ketchup in the USA.  In fact, a thinned version of this recipe can often be found in the condiment squeeze bottles of vendor carts in Venezuela.  It's smooth and creamy with what I think is a stronger flavor than guacamole.  I'm really enjoying this sauce on meat like steak and chicken.

Venezuela has never been a place I've been interesting in traveling, but now I'm starting to rethink my vacation plans.  I would love to see what else Venezuelans use this delicious sauce on!

Guasacaca (Guacamole Salsa)

2 Hass avocados

1/2 cup diced green onion

1 green pepper

2 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno, seeded

1 tbsp. lime juice

1/2 cup parsley

1/2 cup cilantro

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine everything in a food processor and pulse until smooth.  Season to taste.

This sauce will be thick.  You can use water or oil to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.

Philly Cheesesteak Meatloaf

It's so hot out.

I know.  I complain about this all the time.  But, I'm really not someone who deals well with heat.  If I had it my way, every single day would be partly sunny and 60 degrees.  Perfect 'shorts and t-shirt' weather and requiring only the recommended dosage of sunscreen per day compared to the bottle-a-day habit I'm currently needing.  Going outside, for my pale complexion at least, means reapplying every couple hours or after you've sweat through a current layer.  That, and making friends with every shady spot I can find outside.

Ironically, I don't get as bent out of shape about cooking in summertime as I used to.  It used to feel like such a chore.  Now, I feel like writing recipes is the perfect excuse to stay in the air conditioning.  

For instance, this meatloaf.

As a New Yorker, I shouldn't love philly cheesesteaks so much, but I do.  I love them in all sorts of different preparations, especially in this bread-less version (if you don't count the bread crumbs, anyway).

Plus, just as you might have a meat loaf sandwich for leftovers, this could be thrown on a crusty bun the next day for an almost authentic philly cheesesteak!

I suggest following this down with an icy beverage because it's hot out and this kind of hot-weather cooking deserves a cold drink!

Philly Cheesesteak Meatloaf

1 white onion, diced

1/2 cup diced mushrooms

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 lb. ground beef

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

2 tbsp. worchestershire sauce

1 cup shredded provolone cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/2 cup ketchup

Preheat oven 350F.

In a sauté pan, cook onions, mushrooms and peppers in olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic and cook an additional minute.  Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine vegetables, ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, worchestershire, cheese and seasoning. 

Place the meat mixture into a greased loaf pan. 

Bake for 30 minutes.

Pour ketchup over the top of the meatloaf mixture and return to the oven for 15 more minutes.

Southwestern Crustless Quiche

My new obsession.

I need healthy breakfasts in my life.  As much as I love breakfast, I rarely have time to make a large, complex meal in the morning.  I wish I could say that I spend my early hours constructing a smoothie full of diverse fruits and vegetables.  Or, that I could plan and execute several courses of brunch material.

Unfortunately, that's not the case.

On busy days, I need to have something on hand to eat that is healthy, but speedy. 

This is why I've developed a brand new obsession with quiche.

And on a side note, does anybody else think the term, quiche, sounds super pretentious?  Like, I think it's delicious, but I almost kind of feel like a snob admitting that I make it and eat it.

I might be the only one who feels like that, but I'm weird like that sometimes.

Anyway, in my house, I eat A LOT of eggs.  Like, a dozen a week, or more.  This quiche recipe lets me use less eggs for a longer stretch of time.  Instead of going through 12 eggs every six days, I go through 6 eggs every eight days.  Plus it's already got some of my favorite vegetables, so it's good for me.  And, it's got cheese because, well, duhh... my life revolves around cheese.

This quiche is delicious and is reminiscent of my favorite way to make omelets - smothered in salsa.  It's a little on the spicy side, but it's a great way to energize myself for the day!








Southwestern Crustless Quiche

1 red onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
6 eggs
Salt & Pepper to taste


In a large pan, saute onions in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add bell pepper and cook about 10 minutes to soften

Add cheese and stir to melt completely.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Preheat oven 350F.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs.  Add the pepper onion mixture to the eggs and stir in the tomatoes with chilies.  Season to taste.

Pour into a greased 9" pie pan.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Cheddar Cheese Taco Shells

I'm in a funk.

Orange Is The New Black just premiered its fourth season today, so I should be elated.  I've been locked into Netflix all day.  It's been a nice detour from my normal life as I go to reset my diet and my sleep schedule from a long string of night-shifts.

My funk is due to my failing diet and the reason behind it.  To recap, I've been trying to go low-carb for the last three weeks.  I've been running, biking and swimming in preparation for my sprint triathlon.  

But, I haven't lost any weight.  Actually, that's not true.  I lost about three pounds.  I'm ecstatic about that.  However, it's... less than impressive.  In all actuality, I was hoping for something closer to 8-10lbs.  

So... let's talk cheating.

Holidays crept up.  Memorial day invited a four-day long weekend into my life along with barbecues and all of the accompanying fattening sides.  That didn't help.

I set up my weeks to allow one cheat day.  The trouble was getting back on the wagon on the day following my cheat.  Turns out, in my mind, cheat day lasts for three days and I eat MOSTLY well the other four days.  That didn't help either.

So, I did some research.

After some careful reading, I'm convinced more than ever that I have a solid and deep addiction to carbs.  When I binge on food, it's carbs.  What do I associate with happy eating?  Carbs.  I am a metaphorical crack addict when it comes to all things bread and pasta.  

So, this is me... taking control of my addiction.  From here on out, I want no more cheat days, no cheat meals, no cheating of any kind.  I need to break this cycle.

Until I can get out from under this, I'm cooking all things healthy and low-carb.  My goal is to adopt this lifestyle indefinitely, but to start cooking and baking again with carbohydrates once I can adequately control myself.

So... here's a bread substitute in the form of a cheese taco shell.  I can use it to hold my taco fillings while keeping on track.  And, using sharp cheddar cheese is like adding a super bite of flavor.  

This is a great way to fool yourself into thinking you've got a tortilla shell when you're trying to be good!

Cheddar Cheese Taco Shells

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven 350F.

Divide the cheddar cheese into 3-4 portions.

On a greased baking sheet, arrange the shredded cheese 1 layer thick in a circle shape, about 4 inches in diameter.  

Bake for 5 minutes or until the edges brown.  Remove from heat. 

Take a large pot, face up and lay a kitchen utensil with a large handle across the top of the pot.  Lie the cheese circles over the handle and let it bend into a tortilla shape and cool for about 5 minutes.

Once cool, fill with your favorite taco fillings.

Vinegar Fabric Softener & Lavender Wool Dryer Balls

This post is less about making something, and more about just sharing a neat little DIY secret.

Recently, I've been trying to make my home a little more natural by making my own cleaners and cosmetics.

This is another example.  Replacing my store-bought softener with this vinegar solution.

I'm excited to see how well this works for a couple reasons.  One, it's cheaper.  Like, 50% cheaper.  While that might only be a savings of a dollar or two, it will add up.  Especially, when you're making other cleaners that save money as well.

Secondly, as someone who has a mild allergy to fabric softener, I always have to buy the hypo-allergenic brands that cost even more.  This natural version doesn't cause any skin irritation for me and still keeps my laundry soft and not crunchy.

In fact, I'd actually go as far as to say that I think this recipe makes my laundry even softer than the store-bought variety.  It feels cleaner and lighter, if that's possible.  Some internet testimonials I've read suggest that vinegar removes the soap residue that accumulates on fabric better than other softeners.  The soap residue is the supposed reason for the crispy feel of your towels  and sweaters.  If this is true, vinegar is not only cheaper, but most effective at its job as well.

Initially, I tried this with a citrus scent using orange and lemon peels, and let me tell ya:  I'm not a fan.  If you're a big fan of that scent, you can try it, but all I could think of was things like floor cleaners or dusting sprays.  I use citrus peels in these cleaning solutions because I like the way it makes my house smell, but I'd rather my clothes not smell like I was wearing dust rags soaked in mop water.

Instead, I decided to use lavender essential oil in the dryer using wool dryer balls.  I love the relaxing scent of lavender, and I especially love using this on my sheets and blankets because it's the perfect scent to help you get to sleep.  On your clothes, it provides a fresh scent that doesn't overpower if you're in to wearing perfume.

You could use lavender essential oil in the vinegar as well, but I can't tell much of a difference on the clothes if you use it in the dryer instead.  They come out smelling just as lavender-y as if you used them in the rinse cycle and dryer.

Plus, I've found that a lot of essential oil-infused vinegar softeners use a TON of oil, like 20-30 drops per quart.  Depending on where you choose to purchase your oil, that can be at least a couple dollars worth of oil for a whole gallon of vinegar.  Let's save the money and the lavender for the dryer!

If you're looking to go natural with your home products, this is an easy way to start the process!











Vinegar Fabric Softener

1 gallon white vinegar
1 bottle lavender essential oil
Reusable wool dryer balls


Use 1/4 - 1/2 cup vinegar in rinse cycle depending on the size of the laundry load.

For the dryer, infuse 1 wool dryer ball with 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil.  You can use more if you like a stronger scent (I use 5-6 drops when drying my sheets and blankets).

Caramelized Onion and Spinach Crustless Quiche

My new obsession.

I need healthy breakfasts in my life.  As much as I love breakfast, I rarely have time to make a large, complex meal in the morning.  I wish I could say that I spend my early hours constructing a smoothie full of diverse fruits and vegetables.  Or, that I could plan and execute several courses of brunch material.

Unfortunately, that's not the case.

On busy days, I need to have something on hand to eat that is healthy, but speedy.

This is why I've developed a brand new obsession with quiche.

And on a side note, does anybody else think the term, quiche, sounds super pretentious?  Like, I think it's delicious, but I almost kind of feel like a snob admitting that I make it and eat it.

I might be the only one who feels like that, but I'm weird like that sometimes.

Anyway, in my house, I eat A LOT of eggs.  Like, a dozen a week, or more.  This quiche recipe lets me use less eggs for a longer stretch of time.  Instead of going through 12 eggs every six days, I go through 6 eggs every eight days.  Plus it's already got some of my favorite vegetables, so it's good for me.  And, it's got cheese because, well, duhh... my life revolves around cheese.

This is my favorite quiche recipe so far, made with caramelized onions (YUM!) and spinach (not as yum) and sharp cheddar cheese (back to full YUM!).

It's a great way to start my day with veggies and protein, and I can make it ahead of time so it can be reheated for a quick breakfast on-the-go!










Caramelized Onion and Spinach Crustless Quiche

1 white onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1 10oz. package of frozen spinach, thawed
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 eggs
Salt & Pepper to taste


In a large pan, saute onions in olive oil over medium-low heat until onions begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes.  Add spinach and cook about 10 minutes, letting the moisture evaporate.

Add cheese and stir to melt completely.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Preheat oven 350F.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs.  Add the spinach onion mixture to the eggs.

Pour into a greased 9" pie pan.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Beef Stuffed Peppers with Cauliflower Rice

Let's have a moment of honesty.

How many of you (us) have tried "diet" food?  I'm talking meal-replacement shakes and bars, frozen meals, and even just those brands that try to sub out your favorite flavors for a super food stand-in?  Uhh, sorry, but there's no way you're convincing me that those cacao nibs are better than milk chocolate chips, so stop trying to put them in "sweets".  Not only is the taste different (or lacking), but it's more expensive because it's supposedly better for me.

I'm going to probably hate myself for admitting this, but if I had to guess, I would estimate that I've spent over $2,000 in the last 10 years on food that was imitating the food I really wanted.  

TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS!

That's like, six designer handbags.  That's a decent down-payment on a new car.  That's half of my tuition for next semester...

It's also an embarrassing chunk of change to admit to.  And, the worst part is, that's not even counting the non-edible investments I've made to lose weight.  I'm talking the punching bag I bought and never used, the physio-balls, the free weights, the stationary bike, the gym memberships, the subscriptions, the prescriptions and all that other nonsense.  

I don't even want to guess how much money I've wasted.

Nowadays, I try to be a little wiser.  I know myself enough to know that those things won't work, mostly because they consistently haven't worked.  My next focus has been on taking foods that are inexpensive, easy to find and worth eating anyway, and use them in meals to replace the bad stuff.

The biggest problem I've had is convincing my brain.  When I'm missing the feel of chewy bread or silky smooth pasta or creamy potatoes, a salad is generally not going to trick me into thinking I'm satisfied.  That's one reason I truly believe that people (like me) can be addicted to carbohydrates.  

If I want to succeed, I have to find things that legitimately fool me into fullness. 

This is one of the only things I've found so far that has worked for me, so naturally, I have to share it with you!

Cauliflower rice is, like, my new thing.

I'm not even a habitual rice eater, as I much prefer pasta, but this is definitely working.  I've been experimenting with cauliflower as mashed potatoes, breadsticks and even pizza crust, but the rice version has been by far the most believable thus far.

I love stuffed peppers so this version is perfect for me because it's got a ton of flavor without all the rice!

Beef Stuffed Peppers with Cauliflower Rice

2 cups uncooked cauliflower rice

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 white onion, sliced

1 tbsp garlic

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 cup marinara sauce

2 red bell peppers

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs.

Preheat oven 350F.

In a skillet over medium heat, saute onions in olive oil until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic and cook an additional minute.  Add beef and cook until  no longer pink.  Drain the grease.

Cut red peppers in half.  Remove seeds and ribs.  Combine cauliflower rice, sauce, beef mixture and mozzarella, then divide into quarters and scoop into bell peppers.  

Top each with a quarter of the parmesan and panko.

Place peppers cut side up on a baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Vodka Chicken Stuffed Peppers with Cauliflower Rice

Let's have a moment of honesty.

How many of you (us) have tried "diet" food?  I'm talking meal-replacement shakes and bars, frozen meals, and even just those brands that try to sub out your favorite flavors for a super food stand-in?  Uhh, sorry, but there's no way you're convincing me that those cacao nibs are better than milk chocolate chips, so stop trying to put them in "sweets".  Not only is the taste different (or lacking), but it's more expensive because it's supposedly better for me.

I'm going to probably hate myself for admitting this, but if I had to guess, I would estimate that I've spent over $2,000 in the last 10 years on food that was imitating the food I really wanted.  

TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS!

That's like, six designer handbags.  That's a decent down-payment on a new car.  That's half of my tuition for next semester...

It's also an embarrassing chunk of change to admit to.  And, the worst part is, that's not even counting the non-edible investments I've made to lose weight.  I'm talking the punching bag I bought and never used, the physio-balls, the free weights, the stationary bike, the gym memberships, the subscriptions, the prescriptions and all that other nonsense.  

I don't even want to guess how much money I've wasted.

Nowadays, I try to be a little wiser.  I know myself enough to know that those things won't work, mostly because they consistently haven't worked.  My next focus has been on taking foods that are inexpensive, easy to find and worth eating anyway, and use them in meals to replace the bad stuff.

The biggest problem I've had is convincing my brain.  When I'm missing the feel of chewy bread or silky smooth pasta or creamy potatoes, a salad is generally not going to trick me into thinking I'm satisfied.  That's one reason I truly believe that people (like me) can be addicted to carbohydrates.  

If I want to succeed, I have to find things that legitimately fool me into fullness. 

This is one of the only things I've found so far that has worked for me, so naturally, I have to share it with you!

Cauliflower rice is, like, my new thing.

I'm not even a habitual rice eater, as I much prefer pasta, but this is definitely working.  I've been experimenting with cauliflower as mashed potatoes, breadsticks and even pizza crust, but the rice version has been by far the most believable thus far.

I love this version of stuffed peppers because it's got all of the flavor without the carbs from the rice!

Chicken Vodka Stuffed Peppers with Cauliflower Rice

2 cups uncooked cauliflower rice

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 white onion, sliced

1 tbsp garlic

1/2 lb.  chicken, in small cubes

1 cup Vodka Sauce

2 orange bell peppers

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs.

Preheat oven 350F.

In a skillet over medium heat, saute onions in olive oil until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic and cook an additional minute.  Add chicken and cook until  no longer pink.

Cut orange peppers in half.  Remove seeds and ribs.  Combine cauliflower rice, vodka sauce, chicken mixture and mozzarella, then divide into quarters and scoop into bell peppers.  

Top each with a quarter of the parmesan and panko.

Place peppers cut side up on a baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve hot.