Growing up, stuffed peppers were awesome with the bite of the pepper mellowed by tomato sauce and slow roasting and the mixtutre of spices, sausage, rice, breadcrumbs, and cheeses mixed into the pepper.  However since I’m on a Paleo Challenge at my Crossfit Box, I needed to learn to make these delights without the sausage, the rice and the cheese.

Also, since I like dinner on the table within 30 minutes of walking in the door, how can I make it easier?

Answer- Slow Cooker of course!  When I made these beauties, I prepared the stuffing, cleaned out the & stuffed the peppers and made the sauce the night before, then all I had to do the next day was assemble and turn the slow cooker on.  When I got home…the house smelled awesome and dinner was on the table in the 10 minutes it took to make a side salad.

Paleo Stuffed Peppers (Serves 4)

4 Green Bell Peppers

1lb Meatloaf/Meatball Mix (Get the beef/pork/veal mix-its the moistest)

8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 T dried Basil

1 T dried oregano

1/2 t black pepper

1 t crushed red pepper

c cloves crushed garlic

28oz Can Crushed Tomatoes

1 Cup Red Pepper Puree (Recipe Follows)

1. Prepare peppers:  Remove tops of pepper and chop up useable part of top.  Clean out the seeds and membranes and discard.

2. Prepare filling: Place baby bellas in food processor or blender and process until finely chopped, add to pan

3.  Crumble meatloaf/meatball mixture into hot pan with pepper pieces, onions, and spices

4. Let mixture brown, and then drain.

5. Stuff peppers and set aside.

6. Make Sauce: Open Can of Crushed tomatoes and place in a bowl.  Add red pepper puree and mix well.

7. Prepare to cook.  Add 1/2 the sauce to bottom of the slow cooker.  Add peppers to the slow cooker.  Top each pepper with some sauce and pour the rest of the sauce into the slow cooker.

8. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.

Enjoy

Red Pepper Puree

For every two peppers you plan to roast use 1 head garlic.  Drizzle some olive oil on the cut head of garlic and wrap in foil.  Place the peppers and garlic in a pan and roast at 425 for at least an hour or until the garlic yields when given a gentle squeeze.  Place the peppers in a ceramic or plastic bowl (not metal-it messes with the acidity) cover with plastic wrap and let sit 20 minutes.  Peel peppers and remove seeds.  Add peppers into blender and squeeze in roasted garlic.  Puree, adding a drizzle of evoo if the peppers are not moving.

This freezes really well.