Food should be beautiful. That’s what I think! I wrote that on my Food Network casting call application back in July (but we all know how that went!)
Eat beautiful food, and feel beautiful too, right?
They say wearing matching bra and panties makes you feel great. Nope, wrong. Eating beautiful foods makes me feel great. Think about it, McDonald’s hamburger… beautiful? Nope. feel great? Nope. These corn, black bean and quinoa stuffed bell peppers with avocado lime sauce… beautiful? Yup! Feel great… Absolutely!
I love a meal that has minimal ingredients but the outcome has bold, delicious flavors. That is definitely the case with this dish!
Besides cheesy broccoli rice casserole, this is the other vegetarian dinner Kyle will eat and not groan about the lack of meat. And why is that an especially good thing? Because quinoa is a complete protein. Not to mention, quinoa is a good source of fiber, magnesium and iron. Oh and it’s gluten free! This is obviously a great source of protein for vegetarians.
(and with just a few substitutions, vegans too!)
There are a few ways to cook quinoa. I like to saute some onions in a small amount of oil until translucent and add then the quinoa. Stir to coat with the oil and add water and salt. It is always one 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water. Boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes. Simple as that!
Quinoa stuffed Red Bell Peppers
yield: 2 portions
2 large Red Bell Peppers, roasted
2 cups Quinoa, cooked
1/2 cup Black beans
1/2 cup Corn, frozen or fresh
1/4 cup Tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/3 cup Sour Cream
1 TBS Salt
1 TBS Black Pepper
preheat oven to 375 degrees
1. Roast bell peppers, using any of the methods mentioned in this post. Cut off the top of the pepper (save for garnish) and scoop out the insides, and the seeds and discard.
2. Combine all other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Spoon into bell peppers.
3. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 3 minutes. Enjoy with avocado lime sauce.
Avocado-Lime Sauce
yield: 1 cup sauce
2 Avocados, ripe
2 Limes, juiced
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
3 – 4 TBS milk
1. Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Slowly add milk until desired consistency. Sauce will hold its color up to 8 hours.
