Frugal Finance: Frugal Healthy Recipe: Stuffed Peppers

By Marissa Bognanno, Professional Chef & Zumba Instructor, and Author of The Boot Blog

It’s so hard to get Manu to eat vegetables. Last night, for example, I said, “Hey, let’s have this amazing cabbage thing I made up tonight!” “Ok,” he said. “But only if you put salami in it.”

He claims he’s healthier than me even though I’m a walking cucumber (his words) and that he doesn’t need as many vegetables in his life because he takes ginseng (also his words.)

But one vegetable I can always get him to eat: his mom’s stuffed peppers. I love how they get a sweet and sour coating from her trick of splashing vinegar in the pan before popping them in the oven. And the simple mediterranean stuffing of tuna, capers and breadcrumbs is the perfect salty balance to the fruity peppers. She’s not a huge fan of cooking, but she has a series of recipes that are her go-to, never fail dishes. These peppers are one of them.

Mary Vincent’s Stuffed Peppers

1 red or yellow sweet pepper

1 tbs vinegar

1 tbs olive oil

2 tins tuna (we use the one packed in olive oil, you can get it at Trader Joe’s)
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 tbs fresh parsley chopped

1 tsp capers

sprinkling grated cheese

salt + pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the vinegar and olive oil in the pan and add a pinch of salt. Swirl around. Chop the peppers in uniform pieces that can hold the filling. Mix the filling together: drain the tuna and mix with the breadcrumbs, parsley, capers, grated cheese, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Fill the peppers and place in the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until the filling starts to brown.

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