Chili Stuffed Peppers

I love this recipe because it's yummy, filling and very low in carbohydrates. It takes a little time to prepare, so it's a perfect weekend meal.



Ingredients:

• 4 large bell peppers (yellow, orange or red)
• 400g lean beef steak mince
• 150g can of cooked and drained kidney beans
• 2 x 390g cans of chopped tomatoes
• 1 large white onion, diced.
  
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
  
• 2 tbsps tomato puree
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2.5 tbsps ground cumin
• 1 tbsp hot chili powder
• 1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
• Large handful of roughly chopped fresh basil
  
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese.
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit / 180 degrees celcius. Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the white pith and seeds from the inside of the peppers. Ensure that each pepper can stand up freely (cut a very thin slice from the bottom of each pepper if they cannot stand).
   
2. Rub each pepper with olive oil and place in a roasting pan. Roast the peppers in the oven for around 20 minutes.
   
3. While the peppers are roasting, you can begin to make the chili. Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until soft and translucent.
   
4. Break off clumps of the mince and toss into the frying pan. Fry the mince until brown, and then drain off any excess fat. Stir the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree into the mince, onions and garlic and warm through.
   
5. Add the kidney beans and simmer until the mixture is slightly reduced. Then add the cinnamon, cumin, sugar and chili powder. Stir until the spices are combined, and then add the basil. Remove from heat.
   
6. Take the peppers out of the oven and fill each one with the chili (you will probably have a little chili left over - save it for tomorrows lunch!). Top the peppers with cheese and put them back in the oven until the cheese is melted, around 5 minutes. Serve with green salad.
   

Makes 4 stuffed peppers.