Taco Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Tanya, who writes on her blog, “Lemons for Lulu”, is the creator of this recipe. She mentions that black beans can be substituted for the pinto beans. She also tells us that corn, chopped jalapenos, rice, quinoa, or onions can be added to the filling to “bulk it up”, increasing nutrition and quantity.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
3 Poblano peppers
1 pound Ground beef
1 1/2 Tablespoons Chili powder
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Onion powder
2 cloves minced Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 can Pinto beans or Black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup Salsa
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup crumbled Queso fresco
Avocado for garnish
Cilantro or Parsley for garnish, optional
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly spray a casserole dish and set aside.
2. It is highly recommended to put on gloves before starting this next step: Cut each pepper in half and remove the vein and the seeds. Place the peppers face down in a microwave safe dish.
3. Cover peppers with plastic wrap and microwave for 2 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and allow peppers to cool.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until crumbled and no longer pink.
5. Season beef with chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, onion powder, garlic, and salt. Stir in beans and salsa.
6. Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese to the beef mixture.
7. Divide the beef mixture among the peppers and top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
8. Cover peppers with foil and bake for 20 minutes, remove foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until peppers are soft and cheese has melted.
9. Top peppers with queso fresco and avocado chunks just before serving. Add optional cilantro or parsley for garnish.