Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

This is another Quinoa recipe you are going to love.  I found it in a vegetarian magazine and made my version of it.  I always make my version if the recipe allows it of course, some dishes are meant to be left alone.

Here we go.


Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 Tbs. ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups grated reduced-fat pepper Jack cheese, divided
• 3 large peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs removed ( I purchased a package that contains red, yellow and green peppers)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion until soft. Add cumin and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in spinach and drained tomatoes. Cook until most of liquid has evaporated.
2. Stir in black beans, quinoa, and 2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Stir in 1 cup cheese. 
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour liquid from tomatoes in bottom of baking dish.
4. Fill each bell pepper half with heaping 3/4-cup quinoa mixture, and place in baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Uncover, and sprinkle each pepper with the remaining cheese. 
5. Bake 15 minutes more, or until tops of stuffed peppers are browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates, and drizzle each with pan juices before serving. 

I am almost certain you will make this dish more than once. 

Buon Appetito!