Vegan Stuffed Bell Peppers

When having guests over for dinner, it’s important to feed them enough that they don’t realize they haven’t had any meat or dairy. This can be accomplished by serving pasta dishes, or bakes, but my favorite dish to make for guests are these vegan stuffed peppers. It comes in the familiar form of a stuffed bell pepper, but the filling differs enough from the classic that it doesn’t leave anyone feeling like it’s missing anything.

Stuffed peppers take a little bit of time, but most of it is oven time and the actual prep work isn’t too consuming, depending on what you want to stuff the pepper with.  This simple, protein packed version is something I learned from a friend back home:

• 2 bell peppers, cut the tops off and remove seeds and veins (You can do this while the  quinoa cooks)
• 1/2 c uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 c uncooked black beans (can use canned – about 1/2 a can)
• 1/2 c canned tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 c vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine quinoa, black beans, tomatoes, garlic, and broth in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stuff the peppers and place in an oven-safe dish and add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the pan.  

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the peppers are soft.  
PREP TIME: 20 min COOK TIME: 35-40 min YIELDS: 2-4 servings (side dish v. main dish)