Quinoa Veggie Stuffed Peppers
Gotta make this happen in your kitchen - it’s a winner recipe!
This spectacular spring dish is gorgeous, delicious, high quality, easy and fun to create - especially on the holiday of passover when wheat is not eaten for the duration of the holiday - 8 days. For those that eat a gluten free, nut-free soy free and egg free diet. - a.k.a. vegan or vegetarian this recipe is a winner!
A delicious mount of cooked quinoa and sautéed veggies fill the insides of the peppers - gotta admit this dish is a crowd pleaser and a beautiful dish you can whip up really quickly. And, as I always say - prepare to succeed - shop in advance so you have these ingredients in your fridge and pantry. I have the best grocery food shopping lists - as a health coach I’m prepared for my clients to succeed.
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a magical grain - it’s actually a seed but miraculously it made the kosher for passover list! Matzah matzah hurray! It’s easy to cook: 15 minutes and voila!
Eat foods in season - each vegetable in this recipe is Spring friendly - and eating veggies that grow in the spring means you’ll also be getting more nutrition. Fact -Fresh - Farm Wise! The ingredients in this recipe are all in-season. FYI: Spring is here and the grocery stores and farm markets are ready for the pickin!
Asparagus: Vitamins A, C, K, folate and fiber. It helps with bloat and is a natural prebiotic - (healthy bacteria in the gut)
Leeks: protects heart, immunity, nervous system. It has a mild flavor and kinda of sweet. It’s in the onion family, too. One of my staples in my chicken soup.
Onions: vitamins, minerals and fiber, high in vitamin C, B, potassium
Quinoa: (seed) is loaded with protein and fiber, easy peezy to cook: 1 cup water = 1/2 cup quinoa, bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer and cover for 15 minutes - voila - it’s ready! I like to use a fork and fluff the quinoa when it’s done.
Mise En Place - prepare to succeed by stalking your fridge and pantry with ingredients
Recipe:
1 tbsp oil - grape seed, avocado, coconut
2 garlic cloves - finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion - finely. chopped
2 leeks - chopped
15 asparagus spears - chopped
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1 1/2 cup quinoa - cooled in advance
1/4 cup parsley - chopped and divided
4 bell peppers - go for the red, yellow and orange peppers
Optional - cheese for the topping - an added ingredient that’s a crowd pleaser go vegan cheese if you don’t eat dairy
Allow the quinoa to cook on it’s own - don’t mix while cooking if you want fluffy quinoa - the wholes mean the quinoa is ready - it’s been cooked through.
After the quinoa is cooked you can now fluff with a fork - not spoon - go gentle.
Preheat oven to 375
In a pan sautée garlic, onion and leeks in oil over medium heat
Add asparagus to the pan and continue sauteeeing until veggies soften for five minutes
Add black pepper, pinch of salt and red chili flakes and turn off the heat
In a medium bowl add the cooked quinoa and sautéed veggies and combine
Add parsley and mix into quinoa and veggies
Pepper prep time… cut lengthwise and remove the stem, seeds, and white ribs
Stuff the quinoa mixture into peppers - be generous so it domes over the rims of the peppers
nows the time to add the cheese which is optional
Bake for 30 minutes and for that extra crisp broil for 5 minites more
Remove from oven and sprinkle with leftover parsley and serve right away
Genia’s Spoon Me Tips:
Quinoa is often described as a superfood and super grain. It’s packed with protein, fiber and other vitamins and minerals. It’s gluten free, too. It’s the reason why this grain - actually seed has ben used to substitute plenty other grain dishes. Another win win is that quinoa cooks in 15 minutes unlike other grains that take 45 -50 minutes to cook. You can whip up a quinoa meal faster than it takes to get out of your work clothing - and have dinner prepped like magic.
When sautéing garlic never brown the garlic - you’ll lose it’s value - allicin - the medical quality of garlic and the garlic will have a more bitter, acidy flavor and aroma. Very different than carmelizing onions or other veggies that bring out their sweetness. So, when you’re sautéing garlic 30 seconds will do the trick! It will also maintain it’s integrity without eating it raw.
Peppers - lets get real - red peppers are the most nutritious because they’ve been growing on the vine the longest. Green peppers are a problem - farmers harvest the green peppers too early - before they turn into yellow or orange and, therefore, they are not ripe yet. Hard to digest an unripe veggie or fruit. Love the color green but there’s plenty of other awesome green veggies to choose from.
Much love in reinventing your meal,
Genia