I love a good twist on a classic, and this dish is the perfect twist on classic stuffed bell peppers. We aren’t huge pepper fans in our house. In fact, you won’t see me using peppers in most of my recipes! If I do, it will ALWAYS be a red pepper or orange pepper.
This recipe is perfect for meal prep because you can make it all ahead and reheat it easily in the microwave. Plus, with the addition of the spinach, you’re getting all food groups in one meal! So, you cook once, and eat all week!
I like to pair this with a green salad or corn fritters, because it may not be enough all on its own.
What I love about poblano peppers
Poblano peppers are the best peppers, if you ask me. They are just a little bit spicy, which adds so much flavor to any dish. BUT, they aren’t going to burn your mouth like a jalapeño or habañero pepper.
When measuring the heat of peppers, there is a scale called a Scoville scale. Poblano peppers measure at about 1,000-2,000, which is about half as spicy as a jalapeño pepper, and habañero peppers are rated at 100,000-350,000! So, as you can see, poblano peppers are mild in comparison!
Why do you “burn” the skin first?
One of the things that I don’t always enjoy about peppers is the texture of their skin. It almost feels like plastic to me, so I sometimes feel like I’m eating my kids’ play food from their play kitchen….not a fun texture!
By blackening the skin on the gas stove or under the broiler, you not only soften the overall texture of the pepper, but you also loosen the skin from the pepper, which makes it much easier to eat.
Simply “blackening” or “blistering” the skin and placing it in a ziptop bag makes it super easy to remove from the rest of the pepper before preparing the dish.
Why mix turkey and quinoa?
Simply put, I really like the texture of mixing the two ingredients. I think you get nutrients from both, including a lot of protein. The quinoa, though, adds a bit of extra fiber as well as iron, manganese, and magnesium.
So, why do we want iron, manganese and magnesium in our diet? Iron is super important for the transfer of oxygen in the blood. Manganese aids in the digestion of carbohydrates and cholesterol. Magnesium aids in nerve function. So, quinoa is clearly a superfood!
Can you leave out the turkey or quinoa?
You can definitely leave out the turkey or quinoa. If you decide to omit the turkey, I would double the quinoa. And if you leave out the quinoa, I would double the turkey!
If you decide to leave one of these main components out, you can also add in black beans and corn. It’s all personal preference, which is why I love cooking!
What do you need for these delicious stuffed poblano peppers?
Poblano peppers - you can find these at most grocery stores!
Avocado or grapeseed oil - I use avocado oil more than olive oil these days! That’s because it has a higher smoke point. Olive oil can burn easily, and you lose a lot of the nutritional benefits when this happens. Avocado oil and grapeseed oil have a much higher smoke point, which means that you can cook at a higher temp without losing the integrity of the oil.
Ground Turkey - This is a great source of protein without a lot of fat and unnecessary calories.
Quinoa - As stated above, this is a great source of protein, fiber, and other nutrients.
Spinach - This is a great way to add veggies to your diet!
Spices - Chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper give this dish allllll the flavor!
Greek yogurt - I love Greek yogurt as a binder in this dish. Plus it adds just the right amount of creaminess
ENJOY! And as always, let me know what you think in the comments and over on Instagram @sugarandsalt_co!