WIC-Approved Jack-O-Lanterns!

With Halloween and so many other holidays coming up, it can be tricky to find ways to participate in the festivities while also staying healthy. As a nutritional counselor, I love finding new ways to make party food, or just something fun for kids that also uses all WIC ingredients. To start off this October, we made bell pepper Jack-o-Lanterns! I tried this out to much success, and spookiness! Below is how I did it, as well as all the ingredients which can all be purchased with your WIC card.

This recipe is a FANG-tastic source of nutrition! Black beans are high in fiber and protein, which is fantastic for meatless meals and will keep you feeling full. Rice also gives you that satisfied feeling due to its high amount of carbohydrates. Tomatoes are an excellent source of hydration that you don’t have to drink, and they are also known for their antioxidants that help prevent many diseases.

Using brown or whole wheat rice instead of white is highly recommended for this recipe as well, so you don’t miss out on the fiber, Vitamin B, and minerals that are largely removed during the white rice milling process. The star of this recipe is the bell pepper, which is jam-packed with so many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This vegetable is one of the highest Vitamin C carriers you can eat, one bell pepper has even more than your recommended daily value! Vitamin C also helps you absorb iron into your body, which is why pairing it with beans is a great nutrition hack. It also helps your collagen production and is commonly used as a skin and bone booster. Make this recipe to reap these rewards this fall, and to look BOO-tiful doing it!

Measurement Note:

I made 4 WIC-o-lanterns, so my ingredient measurements and cook times are based around that. The best part about making stuffed bell peppers is that you can eyeball everything, adding more or less of each ingredient based on your personal preference.

The Recipe

Prep Time: 40 min

Cook Time: 40 min

INGREDIENTS:

For your “pumpkins” you will need:

4 Bell Peppers (orange)

For your filling:

2 tomatoes
1 can of beans (I recommended black beans for extra pop of color. If you are using dry beans, remember to presoak and make them before starting this recipe.)
2 cups of rice
1 onion (yellow is recommended for more flavor)
1 bag of Shredded cheese

You will also need a pan deep enough for your bell peppers to sit in, and a sharp knife (the smaller the better for more precise carving).

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Cook your brown or whole wheat rice.
Drain your can of beans so that it has as little moisture as possible. For every ingredient, we want to reduce moisture as much as possible so the filling doesn’t leak out of the peppers.
Dice your onion and tomatoes.
Cook your onion in a skillet until translucent.
Throw your rice, beans, onions, cheese, and tomatoes in one large mixing bowl! Mix until just combined. At this step, feel free to add your favorite seasoning. We used cumin, garlic, salt, and chili pepper. Also, make sure to leave some cheese leftover in the bag to add as a topping.
Peppers – Cut the very top off your peppers for a “lid” to be put on after to make them look more pumpkin-like.
Carve away! This step is pretty tricky for little hands, so this is a recipe best used to *suprise* your kids with. Or, they can tell you what expression they want and you can cut it for them. Once you find your sharpest, skinniest knife, find the flattest side of each one of your peppers.
Make a simple design. Some of our faces turned out better than others, so feel free to use what worked the best for us based on our pictures. Tip: Do not make the holes too big otherwise your filling will fall out!
Pack in the filling with your hands or a spatula. Pack it in as tight as possible for a good shape and a good portion size.
Place your packed peppers inside your pan. Splash some water in the bottom from your sink, not enough to cover the bottom, just about a tablespoon. Cover the pan with tin foil and pop it in the oven! Put the pepper “lids” in your fridge during this so they stay looking nice.
Cook for 30 minutes, then remove the tin foil and cook for another 10 minutes. The longer you cook the softer your peppers will be so don’t forget them in there!
Arrange on your platter, and put the lids back on top!

While they may not be picture-perfect, they are so fun to make! Anytime you can get together and laugh as a family, while trying to make something artistic together, is a win. This one is delicious!