Stranger Foods

Southwestern vegetarian stuffed bell peppers with rice

Serves 5 | Prep 40 mins | Cook 40 mins

A fork-and-knife vegetarian main, Southwestern stuffed peppers have the smoky and mildly spicy flavors we crave! Stuffed with veggies like zucchini, and corn, with brown rice and black beans, the bell peppers are par-cooked, stuffed, then baked again creating a tender yet firm texture just right for cutting into with a knife. Vegetarian stuffed bell peppers are satisfying, nourishing and freezer friendly. This recipe is vegetarian, easily gluten free and/or vegan. *Note there is some overlap in cook and prep time.

Source: vanillaandbean.com

Ingredients

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Imperial

x0.5

5 large green bell peppers, sliced in half from stem to bottom seeds and membranes / ribs removed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (+ pan spray, I use avocado, olive or coconut oil)
5 cups water
½ cups long grain brown rice (rinsed through a strainer and drained)
1 cup red onion, diced small, about 0.5 an onion
¾ cups poblano pepper, diced small
1 cup zucchini, diced medium, about 1 small zucchini
1 cup sweet corn (fresh, about 1 ear, or frozen)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1½ teaspoons chili powder
1½ teaspoons smoky paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
¾ teaspoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon garlic, minced, about 2 large cloves
½ cups canned fire roasted tomatoes (including juice (you can freeze the remaining))
¼ fresh squeezed lime
1¾ cups cooked black beans, cooked,, drained and rinsed
2 cups pepper jack cheese, divided, use Monterey jack for less spicy grated,
cilantro (chopped fine for serving)

Instructions

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Arrange an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly oil two bakers with pan spray. Set aside.
Bring the water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Drop in the rinsed rice and cook on a low boil, unlidded, for about , or until the rice is tender (cook it like pasta). Drain remaining water, and set the rice aside.
While the rice cooks, place the cut peppers, side by side, flesh side up, in the bakers. Slide the peppers into the oven and cook for about , just until the peppers are fragrant, a little softer and with a bit of light charring around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to stuff.
In a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet add 1 tablespoon oil. Saute' the onion and poblano pepper for about on medium heat, or until softened. A little charring is okay. Add the zucchini and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally for about , or just until the zucchini is slightly soft. Sprinkle in the cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt and minced garlic. Stir to coat the veggies, about . Remove from heat. Add the tomatoes, squeeze in a ¼ lime juice. Stir. Add the beans, cooked rice and half the cheese. The pan will be full, so carefully fold the ingredients together until evenly distributed.
Scoop the stuffing into the peppers. A #20 cookie scoop makes scooping the filling and transferring it to the bell pepper a snap. I use about 1½-2 scoops of filling per pepper. Use the back of a spoon to press the filling into each pepper half, mound if needed. Top each pepper with remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for or until the cheese is melted and the peppers are warmed through.
Remove from oven and serve with your favorite Mexican food condiments like cilantro, lime wedges, avocado cream sauce and chipotle red salsa. To freeze, store in a lidded container, in the freezer for up to two weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Gently reheat at 190°C, covered for about or until warmed through.

Nutrition

Per Serving	% Daily Value
Calories 432 kcal	21.6%
Total Fat 19 g	24.4%
Saturated Fat 11 g	55.0%
Carbohydrates 49 g	17.8%
Dietary Fibre 11 g	39.3%
Sugars 8 g	16.0%
Protein 22 g	44.0%
Sodium 0.682 g	29.7%

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