Chicken Can Take Fat Out Of Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Bell Peppers Florentine - golden bell peppers mounded full with a flavorful mixture of spinach, chicken and herbs - is a light, low-fat change of pace from the traditional high-calorie, beef-stuffed green peppers. (“Florentine” is a fancy way of saying the dish contains spinach.)

It’s a snap to make. No browning of meat is required; simply grind the stuffing ingredients in a food processor or blender, fill four hollowed-out bell peppers and bake the peppers until tender. Serve the peppers with a spoonful of tomato sauce or chunky-style pasta sauce.

This recipe calls for yellow or red bell peppers because the contrast of colors is so attractive on a dinner plate. Yellow peppers are especially pretty against the green filling and the red sauce. Yellow peppers are also sweeter than green peppers and the flesh is thick and meaty, making them easy to stuff. However, peppers of any color can be substituted.

If you have a double-burner gas grill, try “baking” this pepper recipe outdoors. Light one burner of the grill and cook the peppers in a covered metal pan over the opposite, unlighted side of the grill. Keep the lid closed and the indirect heat of the grill will bake as well as your oven - without heating up the kitchen.

Stuffed Peppers Florentine

4 small bell peppers, preferably yellow or red, about 3 inches in diameter

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 egg white

2 green onions, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1-1/2 cups fresh soft bread crumbs, divided

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup chunky tomato sauce, preferably low sodium

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and cores; if necessary, slice a small amount off the bottom of the peppers so they will stand upright. Place the peppers in an 8x8 baking dish.

Place the spinach in a fine-mesh colander and press it with your hands to remove the excess moisture. Transfer the spinach to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the chicken breast, egg white, green onions, basil, marjoram, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Puree the mixture. Add 1 cup bread crumbs and puree again. Spoon the mixture into the four prepared bell peppers.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 1/2 cup bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese and the olive oil. Pat the crumb mixture evenly on the top of each pepper. Pour 1 cup hot water in the bottom of the pan, around the peppers.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the crumb topping is brown. If necessary, remove the foil during the last 10 minutes of baking so the topping will brown.

Alternately, you can cook the peppers on a double-burner gas grill. Heat one of the burners to high. When the grill is hot, place the covered pan of peppers on the side of the grill that is not burning. Close lid and cook for 50 minutes, checking halfway through cooking time to make sure the water in the pan has not evaporated.

Heat the tomato sauce. Divide the peppers among plates and pour cup of the sauce around the bottom of each stuffed pepper.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving with low-sodium tomato sauce: 211 calories, 5.5 grams fat (23 percent fat calories), 20 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrate, 35 milligrams cholesterol, 511 milligrams sodium.

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