Southwest Farro and Turkey Stuffed Peppers

When I was growing up I was terrified of those stuffed green pepper things my parents were whipping up in the kitchen once a week. It was this mushy pepper with a ball of ground beef with rice inside stuffed inside. I do my best to forget things I didn’t like eating as a kid, and now I do my best to reinvent those dishes with a little culinary flair thrown in there. As a parent, I’m all about simple and delicious when it comes to getting food on the table for my family, and if I can do it in under an hour, then that’s a huge bonus. It’s really important to me to get a ton of vegetables into the dishes I cook because of their vital nutrients for everyday living. We are doing our best to be vegetable and grain first in all of our eating, and if we chose to use a protein, we do so consciously. When making these Southwest Farro and Turkey Stuffed Peppers I wanted them to be hearty, so Bob’s Red Mill farro was an absolute no-brainer. The best way I could describe farro is a cross between barley and brown rice, with a little nutty flavor thrown in. It’s wonderfully delicious and can be used in a variety of cuisines as well as a great substitute to rice and other grains, and it’s just as easy to cook. One of the cool things about making stuffed peppers is how versatile they can be. For example, I did a southwest style with beans, corn, zucchini, and a little enchilada sauce. You could easily give it an Asian kick with edamame, chopped bok choy, red chili paste, and soy. Honestly the possibilities are endless and completely up to you. I always say to get to your local grocery store and find out what’s in season and what’s on sale so you can get the biggest bang for your buck. Lastly, if there are any stuffing ingredients leftover it would be phenomenal as a soup, just add in a little chicken stock. You can even take it a step further and stir in some corn tortilla chips to make one heck of a delicious tortilla soup. Happy cooking everyone!

Southwest Farro and Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Serves 7

• 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Farro, cooked
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• ½ Yellow Onion, peeled and medium diced
• 1 lb lean ground Turkey
• ½ cup Zucchini, diced medium
• 1 cup Corn
• 1 (15 oz) can Black Beans, drained
• 1 cup Tomatoes, seeded and medium diced
• 1 Tbsp mild Green Chiles, diced
• 1 cup Red Enchilada Sauce
• 6 oz shredded White Cheddar Cheese
• 7 assorted Bell Peppers, seeded and stemmed
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Optional garnishes: chopped Cilantro, Green Onions, and Avocado

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat with olive oil, add the onion and turkey and cook until the turkey has been completely cooked. Next, add in the zucchini, corn, beans, tomatoes and chiles and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the enchilada sauce and salt and pepper. Fold in the cooked farro and cheddar cheese until completely combined. Evenly divide the farro mixture between the seven seeded and stemmed bell peppers and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the peppers are browned. Garnish with cilantro, green onions and avocado.

Hello, I’m Billy Parisi, but to some I’m known as “Chef Billy Parisi.” I do a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but for the most part I’m a Food & Content Creator, Sometimes TV Host, Digital and Social Strategist, Influencer, Picture Taker, Coffee Drinker, Daddy, Husband, College Sports Enthusiast, Fashionisto, Film & Music Lover!

I’ve been in the kitchen since I started washing dishes in a restaurant at the age of 13, and during that time I knew immediately that I wanted to be a chef. I graduated from Arizona’s Scottsdale Culinary Institute and the University of Missouri, and have logged several years as line cook, sous chef, and executive in some of the Midwest’s finest restaurants. I currently live in the city of Chicago with my wife Lindsay and daughter Olivia and cook up new inventions, mash-ups, fusions, and twists on old classics.  I’m incredibly spontaneous and outgoing, and run two small businesses, BPMVC, and my latest venture, 5 Loaves 2 Fish!