Spice up dinner with stuffed capsicums

Take your tastebuds down Mexico way.

MEXICAN STUFFED CAPSICUM WITH CHICKEN, CORN AND KIDNEY BEANS

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 25 minutes Serves: 2

Mexican stuffed capsicum

❚ 1 capsicum

❚ red onion

❚ 1 clove garlic

❚ teaspoon oil, for cooking (or use spray oil)

❚ 275g lean ground chicken breast mince

❚ 21⁄2 teaspoons Mexican spice mix (see recipe below)

❚ 11⁄2 teaspoons tomato paste

❚ x 400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

❚ 125g frozen corn

❚ x 400g can chopped tomatoes

❚ teaspoon salt

❚ teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Mexican spice mix

❚ teaspoon smoked paprika

❚ teaspoon paprika

❚ teaspoon ground cumin

❚ teaspoon ground coriander ❚ teaspoon ground cinnamon ❚ teaspoon dried rosemary

❚ Pinch of ground chilli

❚ teaspoon onion powder Each week Nadia gives you another easy recipe for your family and you’ll find all the ingredients in My Food Bag. myfoodbag.co.nz

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teaspoon garlic powder teaspoon cocoa powder

Salad

❚ iceberg lettuce

❚ 1 small wedge red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

❚ 1 carrot

❚ teaspoon vinegar ( apple cider, red wine, white wine) (optional)

To serve

❚ 2-3 tablespoons coriander leaves and stalks

❚ 30g feta cheese (optional)

❚ 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Cut capsicum in half vertically. Remove seeds but leave green stalk intact. Place skin-side-down on tray and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until skin begins to char and flesh is tender. Turn once during cooking. While capsicum is cooking, finely dice first measure of red onion and mince or finely chop garlic. Set all aside. Thinly slice lettuce and second measure of onion (if using). Use a vegetable peeler to peel carrot then peel into long, thin ribbons. Combine in a medium bowl with vinegar (if using). Heat oil in a medium frypan on high heat. Cook chicken and a pinch of salt for 2-3 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, until almost cooked. Add onion, garlic and Mexican spice mix and cook for about 2 minutes, until onion is softened, stirring regularly. Add tomato paste, beans, corn, tomatoes and salt. Stir to combine and reduce heat to medium. Cook for a further 4 minutes, until vegetables are hot, chicken is cooked and mixture has thickened slightly. Stir through balsamic vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. While chicken cooks, roughly chop coriander leaves and stalks.

To serve, place one capsicum half onto each plate. Evenly fill each capsicum with the Mexican chicken mixture, allowing it to fill capsicum and spill over the sides. Crumble over feta cheese (if using) and garnish with coriander. Serve salad on the side and squeeze over a wedge of lemon just before eating.

❚ My Food Bag Fresh Start recipes are 450 calories or less per serve, have lean protein and loads of vegetables, and are lower in gluten and dairy.

Mexican stuffed capsicum with chicken, corn and kidney beans.