Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

I've been meaning to make stuffed peppers for quite some time. I'd buy a whole bunch of peppers with good intentions but for some reason, it would get put off. The peppers would eventually get chopped up for a quick stir fry dish. It always seemed like a time consuming dish and lately I've been jammed for time. The reality is that dish surprisingly all came together in a little under an hour.

I decided to finally make them because I had to get creative with my meals. It was a week before the big move to the suburbs and I did not want to go to the grocery store. I was trying to empty my refrigerator, freezer and pantry as much as possible. The less to move, the better! As I was evaluating my inventory, I realized I had four red peppers, two orange peppers, two green peppers and four poblanos. Oh boy! Stuffed peppers it is!

I had a small amount of quinoa left in an open package. I had a leftover head of broccoli. My freezer inventory included a ton of frozen corn so I'd pretty much been putting it into everything. I made a big batch of poblano corn soup one night and added it to a pot of veggie fried Mexican rice another night. (Leftover rice which also needed to come out of the freezer!)

If it weren't for avoiding more groceries, I probably would have chopped up some yellow squash and spinach to add to the quinoa. The broccoli and corn turned out delicious too though. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can really add any type of veggie to the quinoa stuffing.  Like my vegetable lasagna recipe, this is another great opportunity to clear your refrigerator of leftover random vegetables.

Did I mention we ate these peppers with the small amount of leftover store bought salsa that was in the fridge? Yes! Another jar emptied from the fridge. Of course, if you have the time, you should try it with some fresh pico de gallo! 

Print Save

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

Embed

Ingredients

• 4 large red bell peppers
• 1 cup red quinoa, rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, divided
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
• 1/3 cup onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup broccoli, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/3 cup taco sauce
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Split the bell peppers in half lengthwise removing the membranes and seeds.
2. Combine the quinoa, salt and 1 teaspoon of cumin with 2 cups of water in a medium pot. Bring it to a boil, cover and reduce to low heat until all of the water is absorbed. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F and prepare the vegetable mix.
3. In a medium frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and fry until soft.
4. Add the corn and broccoli and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until all the liquid is gone.
5. Combine the vegetables with the quinoa and stir in the taco sauce, scallions and cheese. Adjust salt if needed.
6. Arrange the bell peppers in a large casserole dish and fill each one with the quinoa mixture.
7. Sprinkle the panko crumbs over the top and cover the tray with foil. Let the peppers cook in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or until peppers are tender and the breadcrumbs are browned.
8. Sprinkle more cheese on top along with the cilantro. Serve warm. 

Notes

• Uncover the quinoa and increase the heat if the quinoa seems cooked but there is too much water.
• Add fresh chopped jalapenos to the quinoa mixture if you want more spice.

via Food Fanatic http://ift.tt/1rXxxtE

Put the internet to work for you.

Turn off or edit this Recipe