Ingredients:

• 450 g (1 lb) 90% lean ground beef
• 1¼ teaspoons salt (divided)
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda (heaping)
• 3 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), cut in half and cored
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (240 ml) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup cooked rice, quinoa, or any grain of your choice
• 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar Jack cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven:
   • Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and position the rack in the middle.
2. Prepare Beef Mixture:
   • In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, 1 tsp salt, and baking soda.
   • Use your hands to mash and tenderize the meat.
   • Let it rest for 20 minutes.
3. Prepare Peppers:
   • Line a 33x23 cm (9x13 inch) baking dish with aluminum foil.
   • Place halved peppers, cut side up, in the dish.
   • Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt.
4. Roast Peppers:
   • Roast peppers in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until slightly browned and tender-crisp.
   • Some liquid may accumulate in the bottom of the peppers – this is normal.
5. Cook Filling:
   • In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
   • Add chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
   • Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute (don’t let it brown).
   • Add beef mixture, chili powder, cumin, and oregano.
   • Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, breaking up the beef until browned and nearly cooked, about 4-5 minutes.
   • Stir in tomato sauce, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 2-3 minutes until beef is fully cooked.
   • Stir in cooked rice and ¾ cup shredded cheese until melted and well combined. Remove from heat.
6. Stuff Peppers:
   • Remove roasted peppers from the oven.
   • Spoon the beef mixture evenly into each pepper half.
   • Top with the remaining ¾ cup cheese.
7. Finish Baking:
   • Return stuffed peppers to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the filling is heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Make-Ahead Instructions:

• You can prepare the stuffed peppers in advance by roasting the peppers and stuffing them with the beef mixture up to 2 days before.
• Simply refrigerate the stuffed peppers. If you want to freeze them, place them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• To reheat, defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then, cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 220°C (425°F) for about 15 minutes.
• Remove the foil, top with cheese, and bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the filling is hot.