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Recipes

   
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Cheese and Rice Stuffed Peppers

These very tasty stuffed peppers are a good choice when you want a meatless meal. You can use left-over rice, or ready some quick-cooking rice to use in the filling.

For this recipe, and for dozens of other Association-approved recipes, purchase One Pot Meals for People with Diabetes 2nd Edition from our online store.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves 4; serving size: 2 stuffed pepper halves with sauce

Ingredients
4 large (about 4-in long) green peppers, halved lengthwise and seeds and stems removed
1 6-oz package fresh, ready-to-use baby leaf spinach
2 cups shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups 1 percent fat (not salt-free) cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp minced garlic
2 to 3 drops hot pepper sauce or a pin of ground hot red pepper
1/2 cup no-salt added or reduced-sodium tomato sauce

Preparation

  1. Spray a 9 1/2 x 13-in baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large pot, place the pepper halves in boiling water, and boil for 6 minutes until the peppers are slightly tender when tested with a fork.   
  3. Place the spinach in a large colander set in the sink. Pour the peppers and boiling water over the spinach; the leaves will wilt. Drain the peppers and spinach well. Place the peppers, cut- side up, in the baking pan. Squeeze out the excess moisture from the spinach.
  4. In a large bowl, stir together the mozzarella, cottage cheese, rice, parsley, Parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic, and hot pepper sauce or red pepper. Coarsely chop the spinach and stir it into the filling. 
  5. Put the cheese mixture in the pepper halves, dividing evenly.
  6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes on the center oven rack or until the filling is cooked through and the peppers are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, and top with tomato sauce, dividing it evenly. Bake an additional 4 or 5 minutes.

Nutrition Information
Exchange/Choices
2 Starch
1 Vegetable
1 Lean Meat

Calories: 283 g
  Calories from Fat: 27 g
Total Fat: 3 g
  Saturated Fat: 1 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat:
  Monounsaturated Fat:
Cholesterol: 14 mg
Sodium: 707 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 35 g
  Dietary Fiber: 7 g
  Sugars: 9 g
Protein: 29 g

 

Not all recipes presented here are necessarily appropriate for all people with diabetes, nor will all recipes fit into every meal plan. No two meal plans are alike. Work with your health care provider, diabetes educator or dietitian to design a meal plan that's right for you, and includes the foods you love. A key message for people with diabetes is "Carbs Count." Foods high in carbs (carbohydrates) -- bread, tortillas, rice, crackers, cereal, fruit, juice, milk, yogurt, potatoes, corn, peas, sweets -- raise your blood glucose levels the most.

For many people, having 3 or 4 servings of a carb choice at each meal and 1 or 2 servings at snacks is about right. Keep an eye on your total number of servings. For example, if you choose to have dessert, cut back on potatoes.

Round out your meals with a serving of:

  • Meat (such as fish or chicken) or meat substitute (such as beans, eggs, cheese, and tofu) about the size of a deck of cards and
  • Non-starchy vegetables (such as broccoli or lettuce). If you have three (3) or more servings of non-starchy vegetables, count them as a carbohydrate choice. Three (3) servings is equal to 1 1/2 cups of cooked vegetables, or three (3) cups of raw vegetables.

Check your blood glucose to see how your food choices or these recipes affect your blood glucose. If your meal plan isn't working for you, talk to your dietitian about making a new one.

Along with exercise and medications (insulin or oral diabetes pills), nutrition is important for good diabetes management. By eating well-balanced meals in the correct amounts, you can keep your blood glucose level as close to normal (non-diabetes level) as possible.

The recipes on this page are only a part of what is offered in recipe books from the American Diabetes Association. Many also include information on meal planning, portion control, food buying and seasoning, as well as general cooking hints and tips for people with diabetes.

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American Diabetes Association • 1701 North Beauregard Street • Alexandria, VA 22311 • 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383)

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