Turkey & Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

These are colourful, protein‑packed, and perfect for batch cooking. Halved bell peppers are filled with a herby turkey and quinoa mixture, then baked. You can freeze them before or after baking. They reheat beautifully.

Ingredients (Serves 6–8, using 4 large peppers):

• 4 large bell peppers (any colour), halved and deseeded
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 500g turkey mince
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 200g cooked quinoa (from about 70g raw)
• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, drained slightly
• 50g feta, crumbled (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Place the pepper halves cut‑side up in a baking dish.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Brown the turkey mince. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano, cook for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in the cooked quinoa, drained tomatoes, and feta if using. Season generously.
4. Spoon the mixture into the pepper halves. Press down gently.
5. Add a splash of water to the bottom of the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10–15 minutes until the peppers are soft and the tops are lightly browned.

Why it’s gut‑friendly: Turkey is a lean, easily digestible protein. Quinoa is a complete plant protein and rich in fibre. Bell peppers are full of vitamin C.

Freezing: Freeze the unbaked stuffed peppers on a tray, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 10–15 minutes to the cooking time. Or freeze the cooked peppers and reheat in the microwave.