Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers

Heat the oven to 375°F/190°C and spray a 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.Halve the bell peppers and remove the seeds and the white membrane. Place the halved peppers cut side up in the prepared baking dish. Cover with cling wrap, vent the wrap by piercing it with a knife or fork and microwave the peppers for 4 minutes. Check if peppers are done . Peppers should be tender and easily pierced by a fork. If the bell peppers are not tender after 4 minutes, continue to microwave the peppers 30 seconds at a time until the peppers are tender.

Heat a large 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is well heated, add the ground beef. Stir the ground beef with a large spoon, breaking the ground beef up and turning it frequently until the meat is well browned on all sides. Drain the meat if needed.

Add the contents of the taco seasoning mix and continue to stir the meat until it is coated with the seasonings. Add the tomato paste and water, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and let the meat filling cook for 10 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the black beans, corn, and ½ cup of shredded cheese to the ground beef mixture. Mix the taco filling well with a large spoon.

Fill the bell pepper halves with the taco meat mixture and sprinkle the filled peppers with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the peppers in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the peppers are heated through and the cheese is melted.

Serve the peppers with your favorite taco toppings like chopped onions, cilantro, wedges of lime, salsa or hot sauce, avocado, sour cream, and shredded cheese.