Low Carb Stuffed Peppers

4 green bell peppers, tops removed & cleaned of seeds
4 green bell pepper tops, chopped small
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped small
1/4 cup chopped scallions, green & white pieces
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic in oil or 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 - 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp adobo seasoning salt with pepper
1.5 tsp dried/ground oregano
1.5 tsp dried/ground basil
Mozzarella and/or Monterrey Jack Cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove tops from peppers and save them. Clean seeds and inside of peppers to make them hollow. Place peppers standing up in a glass baking dish (8" square brownie pan works well). Open can of diced tomatoes and drain liquid from tomatoes into bottom of glass baking dish (approx. 1/4 cup). Put aside tomatoes. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet and cook yellow onion, green pepper pieces, and garlic over medium heat until onion begins to soften. Remove from pan and set aside. Immediately add ground beef to pan (without cleaning it) and brown until cooked through, crumbling along the way. Then add previously cooked onion mixture, green onions, tomatoes, seasoning salt, oregano, and basil. Cook about 5 minutes on medium heat uncovered. Fill each pepper with 1/4 of mixture (there may be extra) and leave a little room at the top. Top each pepper with 1 Tbsp. of tomato sauce then place a mound of cheese on top of that. Bake for approx. 25 mins or until cheese is golden brown. Peppers will remain crisp. Cook longer for softer peppers.

Number of Servings: 4

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user MELSMITH612.