Mexican Style Stuffed Peppers

 

This recipe is adapted from the Minimalist Baker site: 

Minimalist Baker Recipe

Ingredients: 

4 red or yellow peppers, cored and sliced in 1/2

olive oil 

1 cup of multi colored quinoa 

2 cups (500 ml) of vegetable broth or water 

1/4 cup of diced white or purple onion

1 clove of fresh garlic, chopped or 

    1 1/2 tsp of garlic powder

2 tsp cumin* or Mexican spice mix

pinch of cayenne pepper or 1 1/2 tsp of chili powder

1 cup of fresh corn, or canned corn 

1 14 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup of salsa 

salt & pepper 

1 TBS nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese (optional)

Garnish: 

Fresh avocado 

Fresh cilantro/coriander chopped 

Fresh parsley, chopped

Lime juice 

Salsa or other sauces (see link) 

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).

1. Rinse the quinoa and add the broth/water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cook for 15-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside in a large bowl. 

2. Saute the onion and garlic in a small pan for 2-3 minutes. 

3. Add the onion and garlic to the quinoa. Add the cumin or spice mix, corn, black beans, salsa, nutritional yeast or parmesan, cayenne or chili powder to taste and salt and pepper. Mix well. 

4. Cut the peppers in half and brush with oil. Fill with the quinoa. Add a bit of oil to a baking dish and set the peppers in the dish. Cover with tinfoil. Bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and increase oven at 400F (204C)  and bake another 15-20 minutes. 

5. Remove from the oven and  top with sliced avocado, quartered lime and chopped herbs. Serve additional salsa on the side. 

Note:  This recipe can be changed for an "Italian" flavor. Substitute Italian herbs for Mexican cumin seasoning, tomato sauce for salsa, and use fresh basil in place of cilantro. Omit the avocado and use a squeeze of lemon juice to serve. 

Left over stuffed peppers can also be served cold as a salad. 

If you have left over filling, it can be served as a hot side dish, or a cold salad. 

When I made it, I only used 2 peppers, but made the whole filling recipe.  It will keep 2-3 days. 

* Cumin is a fairly strong spice. You can use a fajitas spice or taco spice.