Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
 

This flexible entrée can be cooked fully and reheated or refrigerated after stuffing the peppers and cooked just before eating.
 

Serves 6
 

1 cup dry quinoa
1/2 TB olive oil, plus a few drops for baking pan
3 orange bell peppers
3 yellow bell peppers
1 red onion, diced
1/2 lb small mushrooms, sliced
1 cup carrots, diced (2 to 4 depending on size)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup densely packed chopped parsley
1/4 lb baby spinach
11/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp cumin
dash of Herbamare
sea salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste
1/2 lb large roasted, salted cashews
 

Ingredient options: Other vegetables such as celery or yellow squash can be substituted. Use approximately 1 cup of each vegetable for a rainbow of colors mixed into the quinoa.
 

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. While it is cooking, start the vegetable preparation.
 

Place oil in large sauté pan and heat on medium. Add onions and cook about 10 minutes, until transparent. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking another 4 to 5 minutes. When mushrooms are cooked down, add the carrots and the red pepper. Cook for a few minutes, then add the parsley and spinach, mixing after each addition. Let spinach wilt and then season vegetables with the cinnamon and cumin. Stir in the quinoa. Continue cooking adding Herbamere, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and blend in the cashews.
 

While vegetables are cooking, prepare the 6 peppers for stuffing. Thoroughly wash peppers. Using a sharp paring knife cut in a circle around the stem, about ½ inch away from the stem. Remove seed mass from stem cover with knife. Using the knife or your fingers, remove the pepper webbing and seeds from the pepper body. Rinse peppers well to discard the remaining seeds. Place peppers cut side down on a drain board to dry.
 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
 

Take cooked vegetable quinoa mixture and gently pack it into the 6 peppers, making sure to fully fill each pepper. Top each with its respective stem cover.
 

Rub a few drops of olive oil on a large covered baking pan to prevent sticking. Place peppers standing upright in the pan. Cover the pan and Place in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Check for tenderness, peppers are done when there is a slight give to the flesh of the pepper, remove before the skin is soft.