Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed roasted peppers are SO good. In a hurry, I'll sometimes make open-faced "stuffed" peppers- simply cut in half lengthwise, remove seeds/membranes, and top with a scoop of filling. This "recipe" is one of my husband's favorites; I especially like that it's easily adaptable to whatever I have on hand. Makes 2 stuffed peppers.

Keep in mind as you're planning your weekly menu that you can stuff many kinds of hollowed-out vegetables- summer and winter squash, tomatoes, onions... Great way to use up leftover items, transform by serving a medley of various stuffed vegetables on a platter; the stuffing can all be the same, but the presentation goes to another level!

Preheat oven to 350.

1.

In a large pot combine:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2—1 c. sliced mushrooms

2 Tbsp. minced onion

1 clove minced garlic

Saute until soft and aromatic, about 1-2 min.

2.

Gently stir in:

2 c. diced tomatoes (or one 15-16 oz. can)

3-4 c. rough-torn kale, spinach, chard, or beet greens

Cook just until greens wilt

Note: if you like a thick-sauce stuffing, substitute diced tomatoes with tomato paste or thick sauce; instead of adding with greens, stir in with grains in the next step.

3.

Add and incorporate well:

3-4 c. of a combination of several different textured, warm, cooked grains of your choice –quinoa, brown rice, farro, wheatberries, barley, etc.

1/4 c. chopped walnuts (or other nuts like pecans or pine nuts)

Note: if you only have one kind of rice, don't over worry, it will still be good. But don't skip the nuts- they're really tasty, and add a great texture.

4.

Season with salt and pepper, (+ a pinch of dried oregano, basil, parsley, and/or thyme if you wish), and add a little more tomato to bring the stuffing consistency to your liking.

5.

Cut the tops off the peppers, remove seeds and membranes; stuff with rice mixture to the brim.

6.

Top each pepper with:

1-2 spoonfuls of plain tomato juice or sauce, (or just ketchup)

+ a sprinkling of shredded cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan or other cheese of your choice.

7.

Add about 1” of water to a shallow baking dish and set in the stuffed peppers. Dish size should ensure that the peppers are snug enough to remain upright.

8.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the peppers have softened, and the cheese is melted. Covering the peppers for the first 10 minutes with foil helps to keep the cheese from melting too quickly.

Recipe created or adapted by Liz Talley, Urban Graze

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