Meatless Tuesday? Cheesy Quinoa, Green Chile & Black Bean Stuffed Bell Peppers
We hosted family in town for most of this past week and in turn, spent a lot of nights out showcasing some of our favorite spots (Butcher & the Boar, Smack Shack, Cosetta's, Pat's Tap, Dogwood Coffee, Bogart's Doughnuts, Tilia...to name a few). I felt the need to reset after so many meals out and also had a boatload of peppers that I'd picked up from the Kingfield Farmers Market on Sunday. I missed a meatless Monday opportunity as I licked my BBQ pork chop plate clean at Tilia last night so here it is, Tuesday, and I'm making up for lost time.
Cheesy Quinoa, Green Chile & Black Bean Stuffed Bell Peppers
I swear I'm not affiliated with Trader Joe's in any way, but I find a lot of their kitchen staples are some of the cheapest around and they offer a decent selection of cheap organic products. My husband and I are grocery store junkies and often shop at multiple stores even on the same day, but tonight Trader Joe's was a convenient stop on my way home (actually, I get super lost and all turned around trying to get to TJ's, but we won't get into my France Ave construction rage).
Serves: 2-4 (2 as an entree, 4 as a side)
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
4 large bell peppers (or more small), tops and seeds removed but otherwise intact
1 c. quinoa. rinsed and drained
1 block sharp cheddar (~1 c. shredded plus 3 thin slices for each pepper)
1 4-oz. can roasted green chiles
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp. your favorite chipotle or hot sauce (my favorite is Dan's Prime Smoky Chipotle which I get at Whole Foods and keep in the fridge at all times)
salt/red pepper flakes, to taste
To Serve:
1 avocado, sliced or diced
Greek yogurt
Your favorite salsa
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place peppers on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Once oven has preheated, bake peppers for 10-15 minutes until slightly softened. Prepare quinoa according to instructions, making sure to rinse/drain prior to cooking, liberally salt boiling water and drain any excess water.
2. Once quinoa is cooked and drained of any excess liquid, add in shredded cheese, chiles, black beans and chipotle sauce. Season with salt and red pepper flakes to taste and mix well. Remove peppers from oven and let sit until cool enough to handle, draining any liquid in the peppers/on the baking sheet.
3. Place thin slices of cheese in the three "ventricles" of each pepper and then stuff with the quinoa mixture. Place stuffed peppers back on baking sheet. Turn oven up to 425 degrees.
4. Once oven reaches 425 degrees, bake stuffed peppers for 10-15 more minutes until slightly browned. Serve with avocado, Greek yogurt and your favorite salsa. Enjoy your meatless, yet protein-rich and fiber-filled dinner!
