Featured Recipe: Black Bean and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup celery (2 stalks), chopped
• 1 cup red or yellow onion (one medium), chopped
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup carrots (one dozen baby carrots), chopped
• 10 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
• 28 ounce can petite diced tomatoes (drain, saving liquid)
• 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup quinoa, rinsed to remove bitter coating
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup grated Monterrey Jack Cheese
• 4 large bell peppers, halved from top to bottom, ribs and seeds removed

Takes 75-90 mins, serves 8.

Instructions

1. In a large pot warm olive oil. Add celery and onion and cook 5 minutes to soften the vegetables.
2. Add garlic, pepper and cumin to pot and cook 1 minute.
3. Add carrots, spinach, tomatoes, beans, rinsed quinoa and water to pot and cook 20 minutes. Quinoa should start to soften. Stir in ½ cup cheese (save other ½ cup for later).
4. Pour reserved tomato juice into a pan large enough to hold 8 pepper halves. Spoon bean mixture into peppers.
5. Cover pan with foil and cook in 350 degree F oven for 1 hour.
6. Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle peppers with cheese and return pan to oven uncovered for cheese to bubble, about 15 minutes.
7. Enjoy the stuffed peppers with a green salad. This recipe can also be adapted to use as filling with whole grain tortillas. Enjoy!

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