Cheesy Sweet Pepper Burgers

peppers

What You Need:

1 tsp olive oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced thin
1 sweet red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 sweet yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 onion, sliced thin
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 slices of mozzarella cheese
1/4 C of mustard
4 hard rolls, split and toasted
8 lettuce leaves
1 tomato, sliced thin

How to Make It:

Preheat the broiler.
Pour the oil into a skillet and place the skillet over medium heat.
Add all the peppers, onions and the garlic and sauté 5 minutes or until crisp tender.
Drizzle the vinegar over the vegetables and toss to coat.
Spread the mustard over the top of roll.
Spoon the vegetables over the bottom of each roll.
Place a slice of cheese over the vegetables.
Place the bottom of the rolls on a broiler pan.
Place the pan in the broiler and broil 4 inches from the heat for 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Top each sandwich with a couple slices of tomato and a lettuce leaf and cover with the top of the bun.

Makes 4 sandwiches

This tasty burger is great for those who are trying to cut back on their meat intake. The sautéed vegetables give it a low fat twist. For something a little different try a couple of fresh basil leaves on each sandwich instead of the lettuce leaves. You can also make a great sauce by mixing together 1/4 C of mayonnaise and 1/2 tsp of horseradish together and spreading it on the buns instead of the mustard.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 7 minutes
Total Time: approximately 22 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate amounts per serving)
Calories 278; Fat 10g; Saturated Fat 3g; Carbohydrates 39g; Protein 9g; Fiber 3g;
Cholesterol 13mg; Sodium 456mg

Alfredo Red Pepper Rotini

pepperscuttingvoard

pepperscuttingvoardWhat You Need:

8 oz. of rotini pasta
2 small red sweet peppers cut into pieces
1 C yellow summer squash, sliced
2 C of fresh asparagus, cut into pieces
1 (10 oz.) container of prepared Alfredo sauce
1/4 t dried thyme
1/4 t crush red pepper
1/8 t pepper

How to Make It:

Cook the pasta as directed on the package.
3 minutes before the pasta is done stir in the red pepper, the squash and asparagus.
Cook for 3 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender then drain well.
Place the Alfredo sauce into a saucepan.
Stir in the thyme and crushed red pepper.
Place the pan over medium heat and heat the sauce for 5 minutes or until bubbly.
Add the vegetable mixture and stir until blended in well.
Season the rotini with the pepper before serving.

Makes 4 servings

Mix up your vegetables in this delicious side dish. Use broccoli and cauliflower or carrots and peas instead of the squash and asparagus. You may also substitute yellow sweet peppers for the red if you wish. This will only give it a different color as both peppers have the same flavoring.

Preparation Time: approximately 20 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 8 minutes (not including the pasta)
Total Time: approximately 28 minutes + pasta cooking time

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)
Calories 421; Fat 12f; Saturated Fat 6g; Carbohydrates 66g; Fiber 2g;
Protein 15g; Cholesterol 31 mg; Sodium 622 mg

Red Peppers and Pearl Barley Bake

redpeppers

redpeppersWhat You Need:

1 C vegetable broth
1/2 C of pearl barley
2 C feta cheese, crumbled
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 C roasted red peppers packed in oil
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut in strips
1 T of lemon juice
4 Portobello mushrooms, sliced thin
3 C of spinach, roughly chopped

How to Make It:

Adjust the oven temperature to 450 degrees allowing the oven to preheat.
Generously coat a cast iron or oven proof Dutch oven with a non stick cooking spray.
Pour the broth into the pan.
Add the barley, stir and smooth into an even layer.
Spread the cheese over the barley.
Place the garlic, roasted red peppers and bell pepper strips into the pan.
Dribble the lemon juice over the other ingredients.
Place the mushrooms into the pan.
Add as much spinach to the pan as you fit and still have a tight fitting lid.
Cover the pan and place in the oven for 45 minutes or until the barley is tender.

Makes 4 servings

The sweet addition of both roasted and fresh peppers along with the salty feta cheese makes for a delicious side dish. Serve this dish with white fish, seafood, chicken or even pork.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Baking Time: approximately 45 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)
Calories 461; Fat 25g; Carbohydrates 36g; Cholesterol 80 mg; Sodium 143 mg; Protein 35g; Fiber 6g

Roasted Red Pepper Relish Sandwich

red-peppers

red-peppersWhat You Need:

2 red bell peppers
1 onion, quartered
4 cloves of garlic
1/3 C olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 large loaf of Italian bread, sliced
1 (8 oz.) pkg. soft goat cheese

How to Make It:

The grill is heated to medium high heat.
Place the peppers onto the heated grill grate and roasted 8 minutes, turning often or until charred.
Remove and place in a plastic bag and seal allowing the steam to make the removal of the skins easier.
Thread the onion and garlic onto a skewer.
Brush them well with the olive oil.
Grill for 8 minutes turning often.
Slit each pepper and drain in a bowl reserving the juice.
Peel, remove the seeds and coarsely chop the peppers and place in the bowl with the juice.
Chop the grilled onion and garlic, add to the peppers and mix together well.
Add the vinegar, salt and pepper and blend until all the ingredients are well coated.
Toast the bread slices for 2 minutes then flip and toast additional 2 minutes.
Spread the goat cheese evenly on the toasted bread.
Top the cheese with the red pepper relish.
Top each sandwich with a second slice of bread.
Continue until all the bread has been used.