I was in the mood for stuffed peppers without meat. After browsing several yummy-looking versions, I tried out this one but tweaked it of course... my version makes the peppers crunchier. Enjoy!
Bell Peppers with Quinoa, Black Beans and Chickpeas
(adapted slightly from here)
2 cups water (or veggie broth for more taste)
1 cup quinoa
1 tsp garlic/herb mixture or garlic powder (opt)
8 bell peppers
1 can black beans, drained
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes (do not drain)
5 Tbsp olive oil (separate – 3 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp)
8 scallions, sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & ribs removed, diced
1 tsp basil
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder (or more if you like a little spicier)
½ tsp chipotle flakes (optional)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp paprika
½ cup cilantro (separate – ¼ cup + ¼ cup)
1-2 Avocado, chopped (or homemade guacamole)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Bring 2 cups water,1 cup quinoa and 1 tsp garlic/herb mixture to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to simmer, cover & cook about 12-15 min until water is absorbed. Remove pan from heat & set aside. While quinoa is cooking, slice off tops of peppers and take out seeds & ribs. (save tops for another use). Spray a 9” x 12” pan with cooking oil and put peppers into pan. (if pepper doesn’t stand up flat, cut off just a little of the bottom so that it stands flat)
In small skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add scallions, jalapeno & spices and sauté about 1 min, stirring.
Add scallion mixture and quinoa to bowl along with beans, chickpeas, tomatoes and ¼ cilantro. Mix well. Stuff peppers. Drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil on top. Bake about 30 min. Increase heat to 400 F and bake for another 15-20 min or until bell pepper is a little softer.
Serve with remaining cilantro & avocado (or guacamole).
