A Reverb x Recipe inspired by Marianna Moore

I am finally down 110 pounds, and one of the biggest things I have learned is that eating better

does not have to mean eating less joyfully.

For me, this journey has been about learning how to eat again — how to build meals that support my goals without making me feel punished, deprived, or disconnected from real food.

That is why this recipe hit at exactly the right time.

I was scrolling when I came across a stuffed pepper video from Marianna Moore, and right away, I knew I wanted to try my own version. First of all, I love this creator. She is such a hoot. Her whole approach to healthy eating feels real, funny, practical, and doable — which is exactly the kind of energy I appreciate in the kitchen.

I have made stuffed peppers before, but in the past, I usually made them with rice or quinoa. I had never really thought of stuffed peppers as a high-protein meal prep option until I saw her version.

That was the spark.

No, I did not make my peppers exactly like hers.

But she absolutely inspired this version.

Learning How to Eat Again

This recipe matters to me for more than one reason.

I am finally down 110 pounds.

I do not say that lightly, and I do not say it as someone who has figured everything out. I say it as someone who is learning how to eat again.

For me, this journey has not been about starving myself, punishing my body, or pretending I can live on food I do not enjoy. It has been about learning how to build meals that support my goals while still feeling like real food.

I am exercising.
I am making more intentional choices.
I am paying attention to protein, portions, and how food makes me feel.

And I am doing this without medication.

That is not a judgment on anyone else’s path. It is simply part of my story. This is the way I am learning to rebuild my relationship with food, movement, and my own body.

Creators like Marianna Moore matter to me because they show ways to stay in a calorie deficit without feeling horrible. A high-protein meal does not have to feel like punishment food. It can be colorful. It can be filling. It can be flavorful. It can be something your family actually wants to eat.

I still eat.

I just eat smarter now.

And look — it is paying off.

The Real Kitchen Moment

I started this recipe thinking 16 peppers would be just enough.

That was the plan.

I had 8 red bell peppers and 8 orange bell peppers, and I thought the filling would stretch across all of them. In real kitchen fashion, the filling ended up generously stuffing 14 peppers instead of 16.

And honestly? That worked out just fine.

Rather than forcing the filling to stretch, we saved the two extra roasted peppers for another dish. They will probably end up in eggs, because nothing needs to go to waste when it can become breakfast.

So if you make this recipe, I would plan for about 14 stuffed peppers, with a couple extra peppers available if you want them. Depending on the size of your peppers and how full you stuff them, your final count may vary.

High-Protein Salsa Verde Taco Stuffed Peppers

This is a flavorful, high-protein stuffed pepper recipe made with lean ground beef, black beans, salsa verde, sofrito, taco seasoning, garlic, jalapeños, and shredded cheese.

It is colorful, filling, meal-prep friendly, and family-approved — even by the picky eater who decided the filling was “super good” but the pepper was “too sweet.”

I cannot win for losing with that kiddo.

But let’s be honest: the filling was loaded with peppers and onions, and he still enjoyed it. That counts as a win in my book.

And honestly, if you have a pepper-skeptic in the house, the filling is good enough to stand on its own. You could serve it over a small bed of rice, scoop it into a tortilla, add it to eggs, or eat it as a taco bowl while everyone else enjoys the stuffed pepper version.

Sometimes the win is not getting everyone to love the exact same meal.

Sometimes the win is building one flavorful filling that can work a few different ways.

Ingredients

For the Peppers

• 16 bell peppers, 8 red and 8 orange
• Olive oil, for lightly coating the peppers
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

For the Filling

• 2 pounds 96/4 lean ground beef
• 1 whole onion, chopped
• Chopped tops from the bell peppers
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons jarred garlic
• 2 taco seasoning packets
• 1 4-ounce can diced jalapeño peppers
• 1 12-ounce can tomato paste
• About 2 tablespoons GOYA Sofrito Tomato Cooking Base
• About 1/2 jar Cholula Salsa Verde Mild Salsa, from a 12-ounce jar
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Garlic salt, to taste
• Additional salt and black pepper, to taste

For Finishing

• Freshly shredded cheese, enough to top the stuffed peppers

Optional Toppings

• Salsa verde
• Greek yogurt
• Avocado
• Jalapeños

Why This Works

This recipe works because it does not ask flavor to leave the room just because the meal is more intentional.

The 96/4 lean ground beef keeps the protein high while lowering some of the extra fat that can come with a heavier beef mixture. The black beans add fiber, texture, and more staying power. The salsa verde, sofrito, garlic, jalapeños, taco seasoning, and red pepper flakes bring enough flavor that the filling does not feel like “diet food” at all.

And then there are the toppings.

For my plate, I used salsa verde, avocado, jalapeños, and a dollop of Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt gives that creamy finish I would normally want from sour cream, but with a little extra protein and a lighter feel.

That is the kind of swap I can live with.

Not sad.
Not bland.
Not punishment food.

Just smart.

Approximate Nutrition

Because pepper size, cheese amount, and toppings can vary, I would treat these numbers as a helpful estimate rather than an exact nutrition label.

This batch made 14 stuffed peppers using 2 pounds of 96/4 lean ground beef, black beans, salsa verde, tomato paste, sofrito, peppers, onions, jalapeños, and freshly shredded cheese.

A reasonable estimate is:

1 stuffed pepper: about 300–375 calories and 20–25 grams of protein

2 stuffed peppers: about 600–750 calories and 40–50 grams of protein

For me, one pepper was plenty. It gave me a filling, flavorful meal without feeling heavy. For my husband and best friend, two peppers made more sense as a heartier serving.

Toppings will change the final numbers. Salsa verde and jalapeños add very little, while avocado, Greek yogurt, and extra cheese will add more calories. For my plate, I used salsa verde, half an avocado, a dollop of Greek yogurt, and jalapeños, which made it feel satisfying without turning it into a meal that worked against my goals.

This is one of the reasons I liked this recipe so much.

It gave me options.

One pepper could be a lighter, high-protein meal.
Two peppers could feed a bigger appetite.
And the toppings could be adjusted depending on the day.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Save the pepper tops because they will be chopped and added into the filling.

Lightly coat the peppers with olive oil, then add a light dusting of salt and black pepper. Place the peppers in the oven and roast for about 15 minutes. My oven tends to run a little slower, so 15 minutes worked well for me. You want the peppers to soften slightly while still being sturdy enough to hold the filling.

While the peppers are roasting, chop the onion, the reserved pepper tops, and the green bell pepper.

In a large skillet, heat a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and begin softening it with a little salt and pepper. Add the chopped bell pepper tops and green pepper, then continue cooking until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the lean ground beef to the skillet. Season with the taco seasoning packets, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, garlic salt, salt, and black pepper. I seasoned to taste, so there are no exact measurements here. Our family enjoys a spicy dish, so I was not shy with the red pepper flakes.

Once the beef is mostly cooked, add the jarred garlic and diced jalapeños. Stir well and allow the flavors to come together.

Add the tomato paste and stir it into the beef mixture. Let it cook down for a few minutes so the flavor deepens and the tomato paste does not taste raw.

Stir in the sofrito and salsa verde. This helps loosen the mixture and adds a lot of flavor.

Drain and rinse the black beans, then fold them into the filling.

Remove the roasted peppers from the oven. If any liquid has collected inside them, carefully drain it out before stuffing.

Spoon the filling into the peppers generously. This batch filled 14 peppers for us. We saved the two extra roasted peppers for another meal.

Top each stuffed pepper with freshly shredded cheese.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake the stuffed peppers for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender.

How I Served Mine

I dressed mine up with a little salsa verde, half an avocado, a dollop of Greek yogurt, and jalapeños.

And Friend, one pepper was more than enough for me.

Technically, I ate about one and a tenth, but that was me testing the waters. One stuffed pepper is a solid serving for me. My husband and best friend could easily enjoy two.

That is one of the things I liked most about this recipe. It works for different appetites. It can be a lighter meal with one pepper, or a heartier plate with two.

Meal Prep Notes

These stuffed peppers are excellent for meal prep because they are already portioned. Each pepper is its own serving container in a way, and the filling is packed with protein, fiber, and flavor.

The 96/4 lean ground beef worked beautifully. My husband was a little worried that using such lean beef would mean losing flavor, but that did not happen at all. Between the salsa verde, sofrito, garlic, jalapeños, tomato paste, onions, peppers, black beans, and taco seasoning, the filling had plenty of flavor.

This is exactly what I mean when I say I am learning how to eat again.

I do not need food to be sad in order for it to support my goals.

I need food that works.

This worked.

Low-Waste Tip

The filling is flavorful enough to stand on its own, which makes this recipe even more practical.

If someone in your house is not a fan of roasted pepper texture, or if you end up with extra filling, you still have options. Serve it over rice, scoop it into tortillas, add it to eggs, or turn it into a quick taco bowl.

And if you end up with extra roasted peppers like we did, save them for another dish. Ours will probably find their way into eggs, because a little leftover pepper and a little imagination can turn into a very good breakfast.

That is one of my favorite parts of learning how to cook this way.

Less waste.
More flexibility.
More meals that actually work for real life.

Final Thoughts

This recipe started with a creator’s video and turned into a family meal prep win.

That is why I love this kind of content. Sometimes someone else’s kitchen gives you the nudge you need to rethink something familiar. I had made stuffed peppers before, but I had not thought about them this way — as a high-protein, calorie-conscious, flavor-packed meal that could support my goals and still feed my family well.

That is the kind of healthy eating I can live with.

Not perfect.
Not restrictive.
Not miserable.

Just smarter.

And when you are down 110 pounds by learning how to eat, move, and keep showing up for yourself, recipes like this mean something.

They are not just dinner.

They are proof that change can still taste good.