quinoa stuffed peppers

Quinoa stuffed peppers are a vegetarian dinner packed with protein and fiber! 

You guys, I had the most amazing weekend. My cousins threw us a ridiculous baby shower, my Mom was here for a visit and some of our best friends were here for the weekend. There was no shortage of good food, cupcakes and conversation. (I am very disappointed in my lack of photos though, I didn’t get a one!)

And then the party was over and everyone left. I’m always a little sad after we have visitors who then have to go back home. Ok, sad might be an understatement. Depressed is a little more like it.

But before I can even blink, it’s time to get back into the groove of work, cleaning the house and making dinner. (Which is probably a good thing, so I’m not home moping around…) And if dinners are delicious, it makes the transition a little easier to handle.

A while ago (like a year?!) I asked for the type of recipes that you guys would like to see and I’ve been working through that list for quite some time now! I received a few requests for quinoa recipes and specifically, quinoa recipes that your kids will eat. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made a quinoa casserole, only to be disappointed each time. So the quinoa casserole is not there yet. But today, I have a quinoa stuffed pepper, full of Mexican flavor (always a family favorite, right?) that’s not only healthy but really tasty.

Quinoa is a super-nutritious grain (that’s actually a seed, but it’s typically categorized as a grain) – full of protein and fiber. Combined with some beans and cheese, each pepper contains 14 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber, an excellent source of both. Here, I cooked the quinoa with a combination of broth and salsa (yes, salsa!) to make sure it’s really flavorful and then I added black beans, stuffed everything into the peppers and topped them with shredded cheese. It’s a delicious meal that’s vegetarian, gluten-free and definitely family-friendly!

And no surprise, this dinner is an easy one!

One pepper isn’t really enough for a meal, so I’d recommend serving two of them per portion or adding something on the side like grilled chicken or if you want to keep things meatless, a big green salad with tomatoes, avocado and pepitas.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

• Author: Emily Dingmann

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Ingredients

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• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup salsa (use a watery salsa, like salsa verde)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• chopped cilantro (optional)

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Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Stir together quinoa, salsa, water and broth in a small pot.
3. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, until water has been absorbed.
4. While quinoa cooks, cut peppers in half, lengthwise and remove seeds.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes, until slightly charred.
6. When quinoa is done cooking, stir in black beans and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
7. Fill pepper halves with quinoa mixture (you’ll have some leftover) and top with shredded cheese.
8. Bake for another 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted.
9. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 pepper
• Calories: 262
• Sugar: 4 grams
• Fat: 7 grams
• Carbohydrates: 38 grams
• Fiber: 7 grams
• Protein: 14 grams