By Stephanie Saviola

• 4 large bell peppers
• 1lb ground turkey
• 2 cups orzo, cooked
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 cup of fresh mushrooms, diced
• leftover pepper tops, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• salt, pepper and red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• chopped, fresh parsley or any herbs you prefer

Start by cutting the tops of the peppers off and removing the seeds and soft part inside. Set the peppers in a baking dish and bake at 350º while you prepare the filling. In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic with olive oil. Next, add the carrots, celery, peppers and mushrooms and cook until softened. Add the ground turkey. Make sure you season the turkey very well and stir the mixture frequently. Sometimes, I add an egg to the meat, since the turkey tends to dry out while cooking. Add the tomato paste to the mix and 1/2 cup of water (it will cook out). Saute until meat is done cooking. Add the cooked orzo or whatever small pasta you’d like. mix together. Remove the peppers from the oven and spoon in the mixture. Cook together for an additional 10 minutes, you can add your favorite cheese to the top, parmesan or asiago works well. If there is leftover mixture, I add it all around on the baking sheet so the orzo crisps a little in the oven.  Serve and enjoy!

**If you are a vegetarian, you can swap the meat out for a hearty vegetable like potatoes or zucchini.