Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Well hello there! Have you met my friend? This is quinoa.

No doubt you have, indeed, met quinoa before. But how much do you know about it? Chances are you know that it’s a gluten free grain and that it’s packed full of protein and fiber.

That’s almost all true, but here are a few things you may not know about quinoa. It’s a seed, not a grain. That was new information to me! I did a little research and also found out that it’s a complete protein (meaning it provides all nine essential amino acids that humans need). We all know that beans are loaded with protein, but those are incomplete proteins. Who knew? Go quinoa! It’s a great source of iron, too, which is awesome for vegetarians. It’s good for your heart and can help improve cholesterol levels (just like Cheerios!).

So there you go. Are you sold on these stuffed peppers yet?

If you’re not, let me also tell you that they’ve got a hearty tomato sauce just for a little something extra. 🙂 Sausage usually seems to be a wonderful addition to stuffed peppers, but with all the sauce and veggies going on in here (plus the protein from the quinoa!), who needs it? Not I.

Honestly, I’ve made a couple quinoa dishes that were rather bland and mushy, but I ate them because they were healthy. Believe me, bland and mushy was not an issue with these! The sauce and spices add tons of flavor, and the peppers balance out the texture of the quinoa.

Tomato Sauce Ingredients:

• 5 heirloom tomatoes, cut in half
• splash of white cooking wine (about 3 Tbs.)
• 1/3 cup onion, roughly chopped
• two cloves of garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1/4 tsp. of each– garlic powder, onion powder, paprika
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

“Stuffing” Ingredients

• 5 medium to large bell peppers (any variety)
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup corn (I used frozen. Canned would be fine.)
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• juice of half of a lime
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup shredded fiesta cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut the tomatoes in half, and roughly chop 1/3 cup onion. Put them in a large, deep skillet on high heat, and add the cooking wine.
2. Add the garlic and spices. After the tomatoes have started to get tender (about five minutes), crush them and mash everything up. A wooden spoon or potato masher will do the trick.
3. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about a half hour.
4. While the sauce is simmering, rinse and cook the quinoa. Then core the bell peppers– Chop off the top, and remove the ribs and seeds.
5. Heat a skillet over medium heat, and saute the corn and black beans for a few minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
7. Once the quinoa, corn, and beans are done, mix them in a bowl, and add the finely chopped onion, lime juice, and seasonings.
8. After the tomato sauce has simmered a while, remove it from the heat, and allow it to cool off a bit. Then blend or process it until smooth.
9. Stir the sauce into the quinoa mixture, spoon the stuffing into the peppers, and top with a sprinkle of cheese if desired. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the peppers are tender.
10. Serve cut in half lengthwise and with taco sauce (optional).

Now are you sold on these? 🙂

Seriously, give ’em a try. They’re super healthy and super hearty. And if you’ve had a hard time getting on the quinoa bandwagon (like I have), this is a tasty way to up your quinoa intake.

What’s your favorite way to use quinoa?

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