Stuffed Peppers with salad

TUESDAY
4 medium-size sweet bell peppers (yellow, orange, green, or red)
1/2 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced onion
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 can (28-ounce) tomatoes with liquid, cut up
1/2 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Tomato ketchup or shredded cheese (your choice)*
* Remember, if you add shredded cheese to the top of your stuffed peppers, you will be adding additional calories.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the tops off each pepper; pull out the stem portion and seeds. Chop enough of the tops to make 1/3 cup. Clean out the rest of the pepper so no seeds remain and the center ribs are carved out to make room for the stuffing. If pepper does not stand up straight, slice a little off the bottom of the pepper to level it out.
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook peppers in boiling water until crisp-tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. NOTE: Your time may vary according to the size of the peppers. You want it to have just a slight crunch when you eat it. Be careful not to overcook them or they will be soggy and hard to stuff.
Remove peppers from water and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process; drain and set aside.
In a large frying pan over medium heat, brown ground beef; add garlic, onion, carrot, and reserved chopped peppers; saute until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, rice, brown sugar, basil, salt, and pepper. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until the rice is tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
Place peppers in a baking dish. Stuff hot meat mixture into peppers. Drizzle tops with ketchup or shredded cheese. Bake approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings