ARTICHOKES DON’T HAVE TO BE TASTELESS
The more color, the more nutritious? Yes, for the most part. Take your lunch or dinner to new level with these kale and quinoa (keen-wah) stuffed bell peppers. We love this recipe because it is very nutrient dense and filling. Quinoa is one heck of a grain. It is so versatile and it is high in protein, great for those who are vegans and vegetarians.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice
- 5 large red, yellow or orange bell peppers, halved, seeds and membranes removed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 bunch kale (chopped into small pieces)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained chopped
- 1/2 cup freshly grated part skim Mozzarella
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease a baking dish.
- Arrange the peppers in the dish, cut sides up.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, saute pan over medium high.
- To the skillet, add the garlic, basil, salt, and pepper. Let cook 30 seconds, then add the artichoke hearts and kale and cook until warmed through and tender.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the quinoa.
- Stuff the peppers with the quinoa filling.
- Cover the peppers with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes then remove foil, sprinkle cheese over the top, and continue baking 5-10 additional minutes, until peppers are cooked to desired tenderness and the cheese is melted.