Hearty Poppers

By ctaubenheim

Ingredients

• 12 jalapeno peppers
• 1/2 lb. lean ground turkey or chorizo sausage taken out of casing
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 4 oz fat free cream cheese
• 1 1/3 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise, leaving stems intact; discard seeds. Set aside. In a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook turkey or chorizo and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, cilantro, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir in turkey or chorizo mixture. Spoon generously into pepper halves. Place in a 15" x 10" x 1" baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray; sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20 minutes for spicy flavor, 30 minutes for medium and 40 minutes for mild.

1 turkey appetizer = 38 calories, 2g fat, 11mg cholesterol, 78mg sodium, 1g carb