How do you make something even better? Stuff it with stuff!

For my bridal shower this weekend, a very dear family friend gave me a cookbook called "Eat Well, Stay Well."  I have always admired this woman's ability to truly glorify God's bounty through a healthy, well-balanced diet.  While the book isn't strictly vegetarian, a majority of the book is dedicated to the use of fruits, vegetables, eggs, and dairy products.  I started looking through it, and found so many ideas I cannot wait to try! I tried my first one this evening; I was looking for something with a little spice that wouldn't be too heavy for a summertime meal--Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers (I promise, they taste better than the name sounds!)

Here's what you'll need (for four servings):

4 bell peppers, any color
4 teaspoons olive oil
3 green onions, thinly sliced (up to about half of the green part)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin (I added more!)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I added more of this too....)
1 1/2 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained (I didn't have any canned beans on hand, so I soaked and cooked my own, and they turned out DELICIOUS!)
1/2 - 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese (I like them extra cheesy!)
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

What to do:

-Slice off the top 1/2 inch of each pepper at the stem end and reserve; discard the stems and chop the reserved pepper tops (I cut the peppers in half vertically; it makes them easier to fill and eat)
-In a saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat and add the white parts of the scallions and garlic; Saute until softened, and then add the chopped pepper pieces and cook until crisp-tender
-Add the rice, salt, cumin, cayenne, and 2 1/4 cups of water
-Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer covered until the rice is tender
-Stir in the beans and cheese and cook until the cheese has just melted
-While the rice mixture is cooking (it will take a good 15-20 minutes), cook the peppers.  You can do this either by boiling them in water for 3-4 minutes, grilling them (about 2 minutes per side), or pan searing them (about 2 minutes per side).  I pan seared them and they tasted fabulous, but they would be even better grilled!
-Once both components are complete, fill the peppers with the rice/bean mixture, top with a little extra cheese, diced tomatoes, and green stalks of scallions.

Nutrition Facts per serving:
Calories - 416
Fiber - 6 g
Protein - 16 g
Total fat - 14 g

This was such a delicious recipe, especially served with a side of homemade guacamole and tortilla chips :) As I was making this, I realized that this would be a fantastic, easy veggie recipe to serve up at a cookout (since it's Memorial Day and all!).  Even though I made the whole thing on the stove inside, it would be just as easy to grill the bell peppers outside and make the stuffing on the stove ahead of time.  I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did :)  Happy Cooking!!


Citation:
Eat Well, Stay Well: 500 Delicious Recipes Made with Healing Foods. Pleasantville, NY: Reader's Digest, 1998. 51. Print