Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers
2 tbs Olive oil
1 finely chopped onion
2 stalks celery finely chopped
1 tbs ground cumin
2 lrg cloves garlic minced
2 cup chopped spinach
2 cans chopped tomatoes (drain & reserve liquid)
1 can black beans drained
¾ cup quinoa
1 ½ cup grated carrot
2 cups water
1 ½ grated cheese
4 lrg red or yellow bell peppers; halved length wise, ribs removed
Preheat oven to 180c. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 mins. Add cumin and garlic and saute for 1 min. Stir in spinach and drained tomatoes. Cook until most of liquid is evaporated, about 5 mins. Stir in black beans, quinoa, carrots and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med low and simmer until quinoa is soft, about 20 mins. Stir in 1 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Pour reserved liquid from tomatoes into bottom of a 13″ x 9″ baking dish. Fill each pepper half with heaped ¾ cup of quinoa mixture and place in baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour. Uncover and sprinkle each pepper with 1 tablespoon of remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, until tops of stuffed peppers are browned, about 15 mins more. Let stand 5 mins. Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates and drizzle with pan juices. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings
For a variation try adding a dash of red wine to tomatoes also add diced cooked chicken instead of beans to mixture before stuffing peppers.