Recipe:
For those winter nights when you want a comforting meal that is easy to prepare yet still full of nutrition, this recipe is your best bet. A sweet, tangy, and smoky BBQ lentil mixture is stuffed into roasted bell peppers which are topped with creamy avocado and scallions.
Lentils are packed with fiber and protein, which may aid in weight loss by keeping you satiated. Lentils are also a good source of iron, which helps protect hair and nails from becoming brittle. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamin C, an antioxidant which helps to renew skin due to its involvement in collagen production.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups dry green lentils
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 bell peppers, sliced in half and seeds removed
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 scallions, sliced
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cook lentils until soft. Mix cooked lentils with BBQ sauce, onion powder, and garlic powder and divide mixture between the pepper halves. Place the pepper halves on the lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Top each pepper half with avocado and scallions.
Yields 4 servings
Per serving: 381 calories, 15.7 g protein, 66.2 g carbohydrates, 11.1 g fiber, 30.2 g sugars, 5.6 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 550 mg sodium, 91 mg calcium, 0.1 g omega-3 fats, 3851 IU vitamin A, 160.1 mg vitamin C, 2.6 mg vitamin E, 5 mg iron, 0.6 mg zinc
Lisa Drayer, M.A., R.D.,
is the author of THE BEAUTY DIET and STRONG, SLIM, and 30! For more of Lisa’s Beauty Bites, visit www.lisadrayer.com.