Ingredients:

• 3/4 LB extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 tsp ground oregano
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cup cooked brown rice (or use couscous)
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives (I usually skip these!)
• 1/2 chopped zucchini
• 3 TBS chopped fresh parsley
• 3-4 red bell peppers, cut in half length wise
• 2 TBS pine nuts
• **you can also add fresh mint

Preheat oven to 350.  Heat a large skillet, and add beef, salt and pepper, cook until the beef is browned (or mostly brown) and crumbling.

Turn the heat to medium and add onions until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes (and pine nuts and zucchini if adding!) and cook for 1 additional minute.

Add the crushed tomatoes and brown rice or couscous and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the olives and parsley.

Place the peppers, cut side up in a baking dish (or braising/dutch oven). Divide the beef mixture evenly among the peppers. Pour 1/4 cup water in bottom of the baking dish.

Cover tightly with foil and cook until the peppers are tender, about 35 minutes.

Sprinkle the feta cheese (2 tsp for each pepper) and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

**Adapted from Cookin Canuck (http://www.cookincanuck.com/)