Shredded Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 cup shredded chicken
• 2 cup cooked brown rice 
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Optional: 2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or jarred with no added sugar!)
• Oregano and parsley as desired
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Steam broccoli till almost tender, as it will cook again in stuffing; drain.
2. In a large bowl, stir together broccoli, chicken, rice, 1 cup cheddar, garlic, and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. You may need to add a little bit (like a tablespoon or two ) of chicken broth if it seems dry.
3. Fill each vegetable vehicle with chicken mixture, then top with remaining cheese*.
4. *If you want to use the tomato sauce, spoon it over the vegetable vehicle before adding the cheese. Also, if using tomato sauce, I would use shredded mozzarella instead of cheddar.
5. Put about an inch of water in a baking dish and place vehicles in baking dish.
6. Bake in a shallow baking dish for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees, until stuffing is hot and cheese is melted.
7. Makes enough stuffing for about 4 vehicles.

VEGETABLE VEHICLE PREP

PEPPERS

1. Remove seeds and membranes from peppers and rinse well. 
2. Fill a large pot with an inch or so of water and top with a steamer. 
3. Bring water to a simmer, add peppers and cover. 
4. Steam for about 10 minutes or until tender-crisp. (If you don’t have a steamer, just place them in a couple of inches of water in the pan, bring to boil, reduce to simmer, and cook till soft)
5. Drain peppers. 
6. Fill with stuffing of choice and top with cheese. Butter or drizzle a bit of olive oil in bottom of shallow baking dish and bake at 400 degrees till warmed throughout and cheese is melted.

EGGPLANT

1. Cut in half, lengthwise. Carefully scoop out as much of the flesh as possible, without puncturing the bottom skin.
2. Brush inside with a little bit of olive oil.
3. Bake in shallow pan, with a little water in the bottom, at 400 degrees for about 20 min or till soft.
4. Put eggplant flesh in medium pan with water and bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer, and cover till soft; about 20 minutes. Smash up and add to filling.
5. Fill the eggplant halves with filling, top with cheese.
6. Butter or drizzle some olive oil in shallow baking dish and and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 min until warm throughout and cheese is melted.

POTATO 

1. Bake potato till soft. 
2. Cut open down middle, scoop out potato flesh. 
3. Fill ‘er up! 
4. Top with cheese and bake at 400 degrees in shallow, buttered, baking dish till cheese melts and stuffing is hot.

ROMAINE LETTUCE LEAVES

1. Select the largest leaves possible; combine two together if needed. 
2. Lay flat on plates and fill with desired stuffing. 
3. Top with cheese and/or sliced avocado.