Summer Stuffed Peppers: Stuffed with lentils, quinoa, and fresh veggies from the garden, these peppers are a great weeknight meal. Make the filling ahead of time, and bake the peppers when you get home. Or just eat the filling as your main meal with a salad.
Ingredients
2 cups rinsed brown lentils
2 tsp dried thyme, or 2 tbsp fresh thyme
1½ tsp salt, divided
4½ cups water
3 cups tomatoes
2½ cups small diced zucchini
1 cup small diced banana peppers (if very spicy, reduce to ½ cup)
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups cooked quinoa
¼ cup dry white wine or water to sauté (we used wine)
3 cups chopped kale, or other in-season greens
1 cup basil, plus additional for garnish
8-10 whole bell peppers
Tomato sauce
Instructions
Cook lentils with thyme, water, 1 tsp salt
In separate sauté pan, add banana peppers, zucchini, garlic, ½ tsp salt, wine or water and sauté until tomatoes release juice, about 2 minutes
Add in greens and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes, add basil.
Mix cooked lentils with quinoa and add to cooked veggie mixture. Season with additional salt/pepper.
Cut peppers in half and fill.
Cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan, like a pyrex, with tomato sauce. Place stuffed peppers into pan and top generously with tomato sauce (about 2 tbsp per pepper).
Cover with foil and bake for about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted goes in smoothly.
Serve topped with fresh basil, parsley, crushed red pepper, sprouts, and/or nutritional yeast if desired (provides a nutty, cheesy flavor).
Notes
1242 mg of potassium, 225% Vitamin C, 44% Vitamin A, 36% Iron, 7% calcium
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 2 half peppers Calories: 304 Fat: 1.8 g Saturated fat: .4 g Carbohydrates: 54.3 g Sugar: 11.2 g Fiber: 20.6 g Protein: 19.1 g Cholesterol: 0 mg
Recipe by Garden Fresh Foodie at https://gardenfreshfoodie.com/main-dishes/summer-stuffed-peppers/