Southwestern vegetarian stuffed bell peppers with rice

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.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Arrange an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly oil two bakers with pan spray. Set aside.
2. 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
   25 minutes, or until the rice is tender (cook it like pasta). Drain remaining water, and set the rice aside.
3. 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
   15-20 minutes, 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.
4. In a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet add 1 tablespoon oil. Saute' the onion and poblano pepper for about
   7 minutes on medium heat, or until softened. A little charring is okay. Add the zucchini and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally for about
   2 minutes, 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
   1 minute. 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.
5. 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
   25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the peppers are warmed through.
6. 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
   15-20 minutes or until warmed through.

Nutrition