Hey Chicks,

At FIT CHICKS Academy we love seeing the creativity and hard work of our Fitness & Nutrition Expert Program (FNE) students and grads. Today we are pumped to share this recipe with you from Fitness & Nutrition Expert  Miranda Smit! Miranda created this recipe for one of the assignments in the Nutrition Module of the FNE program. We are excited to introduce Miranda and her creation!

My name is Miranda and I own MissFit Studio, a home-based personal training studio, offering one on one and couples PT

Before embarking on the FNE Program, I Certified through another organization, doing PT and group fitness. Since graduating, I have much more enthusiasm with my job, and improved confidence! I also have wider variety of workouts offered, which have been more efficient and effective.

My biggest piece of advice to anyone looking to get started in this industry: Be confident and sure of yourself, but stay true to the uniqueness of yourself, using the qualities that you’ve got, not shadowing others.

Unstuffed Pepper Casserole

Love stuffed peppers but don’t love the tedious work involved?! Why not turn them into a casserole?!

This flavorful dish is full of variety and options and can be modified to your taste preference. Whether you are a vegetarian or a meat lover, you will end up with a healthy, hearty, and satisfying meal!

This recipe is a true ‘complete in three’ meal, meaning it is made up of a lean protein, a healthy fat, and fiber-rich carbohydrates. It is jam-packed with a variety of fibrous vegetables and legumes, protein-packed quinoa, and lean turkey (if desired) to keep you satisfied, and your blood sugars balanced.

I first tried this dish at a family Thanksgiving, potluck style. We had the typical turkey, roast beef, stuffing, potatoes, etc. I always like to search out the ‘different’ foods that you don’t typically get every day, because that is the fun of a potluck! My Aunt brought this casserole and made it vegan-style for her and her daughters, and it was sooooo delicious! I got the recipe from her immediately and revamped it with lots of extra veggies and sometimes lean, ground turkey when I am making it for larger family meals.

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

COOK TIME: 60 Minutes

TOTAL TIME: 95 Minutes

TOTAL SERVINGS: 8 Servings

TOTAL CALORIES PER SERVING: 559 calories per serving

MACRONUTRIENT BREAKDOWN PER SERVING (INCL FIBRE GRAMS!):

  • Carbohydrates: 79g
  • Fat: 13g
  • Protein: 33g
  • Fiber: 14g

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 cups, cooked quinoa
  • 1 lb, Lean Ground turkey
  • 1 can (2 1/5 cups ea.), Black Beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (2.2 cups) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1.00 grams (1 medium), Onion finely chopped
  • 1.50 g, (approx. 3) Celery Stalks finely chopped
  • 1.00 cup, frozen corn
  • 1 large, Red bell pepper finely chopped
  • 1 container (28 tbsp (60 ml) ea.), Medium Salsa
  • 0.50 cup, shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
  • 1 tbsp(s), Plain Greek Yogurt (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  2. Brown ground turkey in a skillet, drain any excess fats
  3. While turkey is cooking chop up peppers, onion, and celery
  4. Boil quinoa (5-7 min), set aside
  5. add chopped vegetables, plus corn to turkey and sauté for 3-5 min
  6. Ccombine all the above in a casserole dish, adding the jar of salsa and can of black beans, and mix well
  7. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, cover casserole dish with lid or tin foil
  8. Bake in oven for 60 min, until bubbly
  9. Let cool for 5 min before serving
  10. Top with small dollop of plain Greek yogurt and chopped, green onions (optional)

TIPS TO ALTER IN LIEU OF A DIETARY RESTRICTION

  • Vegetarian option to omit the meat and add other legumes such as lentils, split peas, kidney beans, etc.  if desired.
  • Vegan option to omit the meat, cheese, and yogurt, and sprinkle with non-dairy cheese before baking if desired.

TIPS TO SUB AN INGREDIENT TO ALTER THE RECIPE

  • The amazing thing about this recipe is that you can add as many extra vegetables and legumes as you like! The bonus is that you are still getting a protein-packed meal even if you aren’t using meat!
  • The joy of creating a casserole is how all those beautiful flavors blend together creating an amazing and unique taste depending on what you add. If you aren’t a fan of some legumes in this recipe there are many other options to swap them out with: kidney beans, split peas, mixed beans, blacked eyed peas, etc., and the same goes with vegetables. If you prefer a little more spice in your food, use a jar of spicey salsa and add a few red pepper chili flakes!
  • This is a great dish to have some fun with and make it yours!

ADDITIONAL NOTES

This recipe can easily be doubled and cooked in a crock pot (5-6 hours) if you have lots of mouths to feed!

Thank you so much for sharing Miranda!

PS Do you want get CERTIFIED as a Fitness & Nutrition Expert?  You can get started TODAY so download our program brochure here and learn how you to create your dream life, health & career!