Cheesesteak sandwiches are to die for! I was inspired by a recent trip to historic Philly and one of my favorite sandwich shops, Jersey Mike’s, for this recipe…A traditional Philly Cheesesteak is topped with Cheese Wiz, which is absolutely delicious…the common phrase for ordering is “wiz wit…and then you can add other toppings like mushrooms and peppers. But I actually prefer the smokey Provolone cheese version when making the recipe lighter and carb free. The Big Kahuna hot cheesesteak sandwich at Jersey Mike’s is also heavenly! What does it for me are the caramelized onions, mushrooms and jalapeños, then topped with gooey cheese, yum! Here’s my take on a low-carb version of this genius sandwich. The flavor is all there, just no evil bun!

 -Mel

Health tips: Low carb, heart healthy, diabetes friendly, kid friendly

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra
• 1 medium/large yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon garlic (about 2-4 cloves, depending on size), grated or minced
• 1 (8 oz.) package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (about 2 large pinches), plus extra
• Pepper
• Pickled jalapeños or Pepperoncinis, to taste, roughly chopped
• 8 oz. thinly sliced roast beef, cut into thin strips (Tip: Get your beef sliced fresh at the deli, such better quality than the packaged version! It’s a bit pricier, but worth it. If you only have the packaged roast beef, that still works.)
• 8 slices smoky provolone cheese
• 2 large green bell peppers

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Slice peppers in half lengthwise, pull out stem, ribs and seeds. Lightly brush inside and outside with olive oil, and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Pre-cook peppers until they just start to soften, but still have some crunch, about 20 minutes. (You don’t want the peppers too soft or they won’t hold filling, plus overcooking removes the nutrients!) Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
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4. Meanwhile, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions first for a couple minutes, then add garlic. Once onions and garlic are softened and start to caramelize, about 15 minutes, add mushrooms. Continue cooking until everything is golden brown and caramelized, about 15 more minutes.
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6. Add roast beef and jalapeños to the onion/garlic/mushroom mixture. Mix until combined and cook together for a couple minutes. Taste and season as needed.
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8. Turn peppers right-side up on the baking sheet. Line the bottom of each pepper half with a slice of provolone cheese and fill with meat mixture until they are nearly overflowing. Top with another slice of cheese.
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12. Bake for another 15 minutes until filling is heated through and peppers start to soften more (edges wrinkle in). Cheese should also be melted and golden brown. Enjoy!