Stuffed Bell Peppers! Quinoa Update!

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I remember eating stuffed green bell peppers when I was young. Mom was an amazing cook and would use what ever was in the vegetable drawer for filling, but always there was ground beef, rice and corn. Love childhood memories!

Update to 2012! take a moment to consider these Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers an updated version of that classic recipe, that so many of us love. Swap out the rice for nutrient rich quinoa and add some extra vegetables you may have in your garden or refrigerator for color, flavor and texture. These peppers have so much flavor and color. I just love them!! With fresh vegetables, protein and a little heat from the jalapeno and seeds! Also, it can be vegetarian, just leave out the meat and add more quinoa, you will prove meatless doesn't have to be boring!

 4 bell peppers, any color

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef or chicken (or eliminate meat and use 2c. more Quinoa)

2 T. chopped onion 

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 ear of corn, sliced off the cob

1 c. cooked Quinoa

1 tsp. salt 

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded (save the seeds to pep it up) and chopped, optional (use your rubber gloves)

1 can (15 oz) organic tomato sauce

3/4 c.  shredded cheese of your choice; mozzarella, cheddar, Flagsheep cheese

 

Cut stem end of each bell pepper and remove top of pepper. Remove seeds and membranes; rinse peppers. If necessary, cut thin slice from bottom of each pepper so they stand up straight. In 4-quart Dutch oven, add enough water to cover peppers. Heat to boiling; add peppers. Cook about 2 minutes; drain.

Chop the part of the top you cut off and add to the mixture of the vegetables.
In a skillet, cook the beef and onion over medium heat 8- 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown, drain. Stir in corn, celery, pepper top, jalapeno, salt, garlic and 1 cup of the tomato sauce; cook until hot. At this point add a few jalapeno seeds and taste. Add to your taste for added heat.

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• 4 Stuff peppers with beef mixture. Stand peppers upright in ungreased 8-inch square glass baking dish. 

•  Cover tightly with foil. Bake 10 minutes. Uncover and bake about 15 minutes longer or until peppers are tender. Sprinkle with cheese.

 *You may have enough meat mixture for 5 or six peppers, it depends on the size of your peppers. I was able to make 3 for Wee Bear and I, two for delivery to my Mom and still had left over for two taco's for lunch the next day! I don't worry about having left over meat mixture, as I like to put the remainder over chips or just eat it with grated cheese on top for lunch.

Feel free to make this dish completely clean by omitting the cheese and chopping up fresh tomatoes.  You'll save over 50 calories per serving and I guarantee this will still taste pretty amazing!

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Happy 7 month Birthday!! Thank you viewers....we continue to grow!! Over 30,000 Twitter followers, nearly 300 Goggle followers both receive notifications every post and many who follow through Facebook! We are getting upwards of 1000 hits a day, from every continent! We have a huge European following and many send me e-mails through Goggle!! It is really exciting and fun! It is all thanks to you, my viewers!

With our Fisher scones we left the fair at Midnight!!

Cheers!

JJ