Stuffed Bell pepper jack-o-lanterns are so good for you and are downright fun to have for dinner. Grab a crafty kid or teen and start practicing carving these adorable jack-o-lanterns. They can be stuffed with just about anything. We love Mexican-inspired flavors so we use ground turkey mixed with simple salsa for fast and simple flavorful stuffing.

Here’s a little secret, you can stuff a bell pepper with just about any kind of leftovers.  Use up the leftover ground turkey from Taco Night, spaghetti sauce, or buddha bowls.  We like to keep it simple and use Mexican spiced ground turkey mixed with our favorite salsa, topped with shredded light cheeses. 

Reasons to Make ’em:

• loaded with protein and vitamins
• low carb
• a blast to make
• great family activity
• even better as left-overs
• fun for photos!

If don’t have leftovers to work with, its easy enough to batch-cook the meat, add in the salsa.  Make bell pepper jack-o-lanterns ahead of time and reheat them before serving.  Choose yellow and red bell peppers to emulate cute pumpkin jack-o-lanterns.

this is such an old picture and come to think of it an oldie but goodie recipe… classic!

Of course, you can skip carving the bell peppers and make this any season.  Green bell peppers would also be festive and make a colorful plate.  Having produce in a variety of colors will help ensure a good selection of vitamins and minerals – eat the rainbow!

If you like this recipe, you’ll love these easy Baked Corn Tortilla Chips and Santa Fe Turkey Meatloaf.

Yield: 4

Bell Pepper Jack-o-Lanterns

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Fiesta Stuffed Bell Pepper Jack-Lanterns are so good for you and are down right fun to have for dinner. Grab a crafty kid or teen and start practicing carving on these adorable lanterns. They can be stuffed with just about anything. We love Mexican inspired flavors so we use ground turkey mixed with simple salsa.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 large bell peppers (orange and/or red)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3/4 Cup shredded light cheese
• 1 Cup salsa (I use organic, medium spiced, chunky)
• 1 pound ground turkey meat
• Spanish or brown rice as a side
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground Ancho chili pepper
• sprinkle with onion powder and garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• Spray oil

Instructions

Clean and hollow out bell peppers keeping the tops

Pre-cook cleaned and hollowed peppers for 12 minutes in a 350-degree oven

Sautee onion in spray oil and set aside

Cook ground turkey

Add onion and salsa to cooked ground turkey

Season with spices

Let bell peppers cool slightly

Carve Jack-o-Lantern faces on one side of bell peppers

Fill bell peppers with cooked ground turkey/salsa mixture

Top with shredded light cheese

Put back in 350 oven for another 6-8 minutes

Place top of bell pepper on melted cheese to keep everything warm

Serve with brown rice, quinoa or Spanish rice