• 4 large poblano peppers
  • ½ cup uncooked brown rice
  • 1 ½ cups Fresh Grilled Salsa (link to previous recipe) or other low-sodium salsa
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans
  • 1 ½ cup frozen corn
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup 2% Mexican blend cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to package instructions.

2. Slice each poblano pepper in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and ribs.

3. Place the peppers in a baking dish skin side up. Broil for 3-5 minutes and then flip over the peppers and broil 3-5 minutes longer. Watch the pepper closely to make sure they only char and don’t overly burn.

4. Drain and rinse the black beans. In a large, microwave safe bowl, combine the beans, salsa, corn, a quarter cup of cheese, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne. Add pepper to taste. Heat the filling for about 2-3 minutes in the microwave, or until warm, stirring after each 30 second increment. Stir in the rice.

5. Spoon the filling into each pepper half. Top with the remaining cheese and broil until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

Tips:

Poblano peppers are a mild chili pepper grown in Mexico and are known as Ancho peppers when they are dried. If you want your peppers on the milder side, be sure to remove all the seeds and veins after cutting the pepper in half, or use a green bell pepper instead. If you use store bought salsa instead of homemade be sure to read the label for the sodium content, many popular brands have between 125-275 mg sodium per 2 tablespoon serving which can add up fast!