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Hot out of the oven...healthy goodness... |
4 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, 6 oz each, 1/2 inch trimmed off the top, stemmed and seeded
1/2 to one cup of cooked quinoa
(see directions in Step 2 below)
1 lb (85% lean) ground beef
1-14.5 ounce diced tomatoes, drained with 1/4 cup juice reserved
5 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 1/4 cups)
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1. Bring 4 quarts water and 1 T salt to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the bell peppers and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Remove the peppers from the water, allowing any excess water to drain back into the pot. Place the peppers, cut side up on a paper-towel lined plate.
2. Rinse one cup of quinoa in a colander, then place in a small pot on the stove. Add in two cups of water. bring to a boil, stir, then turn down the burner to low and simmer for about 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Set aside.
(there will be more quinoa than you need for this recipe. I just eat the rest for breakfast the next morning with a little brown sugar and cream...like oatmeal)
3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beef and cook, breaking into small pieces, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to the bowl. Add in the quinoa. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup of the cheese and the parsley to the quinoa/beef mixture and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a separate bowl, combine the ketchup and reserved tomato juice.
4. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the peppers, cut side up in a 9 by 9 inch baking dish. Divide the filling mixture evenly among the peppers. Spoon the ketchup mixture over the tops of the peppers then sprinkle them with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake until the cheese is browned and the filling is heated through, about 30 minutes.