Hi friends. How are you doing this week? Last week was just one of those weeks for me: challenging, difficult and blah. The unexpected winter weather didn’t help, especially when it was topped off with a gray day of torrential downpours and wind.
Now that last week is behind me, I am ready to look ahead: to SPRING! I can feel it in my bones that it is around the corner. My yard is full of grass again, the temperatures are ever-so-slightly warmer, and the sun is shining more. I can’t wait to throw the cover off my grill and make some good, fresh meals!
As promised, here is another spring-inspired meal for you this week. I stumbled upon this 2 years ago, and have really enjoyed it ever since. It is a double bonus: TASTY and HEALTHY. Woot!
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1 | can (15 oz) Progresso® black beans, drained, rinsed |
3/4 | cup cooked white rice |
4 | medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup) |
1/4 | cup chopped fresh cilantro |
2 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
2 | tablespoons lime juice |
1 | clove garlic, finely chopped |
1/4 | teaspoon salt |
3 | large bell peppers, cut lengthwise in half, seeds removed |
1 | plum (Roma) tomato, diced |
Additional chopped fresh cilantro, if desired |
1. | Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Cut three 18×12-inch pieces heavy-duty foil. Spray with cooking spray. |
2. | Mix beans, rice, onions, 1/4 cup cilantro, the oil, lime juice, garlic and salt. Place 2 bell pepper halves on one side of each foil piece. Fill with bean mixture. |
3. | Fold foil over peppers so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight 1/2-inch fold; fold again. Allow space on sides for circulation and expansion. |
4. | Cover and grill packets over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes or until peppers are tender. Place packets on serving platter. Cut large X across top of each packet; fold back foil. Sprinkle with tomato and additional cilantro. |
Notes:
~ I used YELLOW Peppers instead of GREEN. They were a sweet and delicious trade.
~I finished off the peppers with some grated cheddar cheese, which melted a bit on top since the peppers were still hot. (Obviously, the cheese would change the above nutritional info, but if you got a 2% sharp cheddar, like Cabot, that still has a lot of flavor, the changes would be minimal. )
~ For those who want to try this recipe, but not ready to break out the grill, here is a way to oven-roast the peppers. Bake at 450º for 20 minutes in the foil packets, and uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. It won’t have that hint of smokiness from the grill, but will be just as tasty!
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SERIOUSLY so good. And you know what? Even if it’s still a bit chilly, I say turn on those grills anyway! We need a fresh meal to get rid of the Winter Blues!
Have a great week!
To read more about Steph’s life and recipes at her blog, Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Mom.
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