Stuffed Peppers

I have to say, this stuffed peppers recipe is the business! I had a craving for them on Sunday, but decided to try stuffing them with quinoa and sauteed vegetables. They came out great (boyfriend approved), and I loved how the combination of flavors reminded me of Thanksgiving stuffing. Hope you enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers
(makes 4 peppers)

Stuffed peppers ready for the oven

4 bell peppers (any color)
¾ cup quinoa (any color)
1½ cups vegetable broth
1 large yellow onion
4 carrots
3 celery stalks
2 garlic cloves
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper

Tomato sauce:
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
4-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. fresh oregano leaves, chopped
Pepper

Rinse the quinoa with water and put it in a sauce pan. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 15 minutes, then take off the lid and remove from heat. Fluff with a fork and set aside. Chop up the yellow onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into small pieces, and add them to a sauté pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to caramelize and the carrots and celery begin to soften.  Add the sauteed vegetables and quinoa to a large bowl with red pepper flakes, cilantro, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix well and set aside.

Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the inner ribs and seeds. Make sure the peppers can stand up on their own. You may need to cut a slice off the bottom to make a flat surface. Scoop the quinoa vegetable mixture into the peppers and place in an oven-safe dish. Pour ½ inch of water in the bottom of the pan to keep the peppers moist. Cook in the oven for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. If the tops begin to brown, cover with foil for the remainder of cooking.

While the peppers are cooking, put the tomato sauce in a small saucepan and heat on low. Add tomato paste, basil, oregano, and pepper. Stir and keep on low heat. When the peppers come out of the oven, top with spoonfuls of the tomato sauce and serve immediately.

Tip 1: For a variety of color in this dish, I used different colors of bell peppers and also used a mixture of white and red quinoa. You can use whatever you like (or whatever is affordable at the market). Tip 2: I always use organic, low sodium vegetable broth. Tip 3: If you don’t have all the fresh herbs, just use dried. Tip 4: If you end up with leftover stuffing, it makes a delicious snack the next day.

Stuffed pepper ready to eat

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