Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Sometimes I’m just not in the mood for meat. This is a great way to make stuffed peppers without it and a nice healthy way to start the week… say after a really over-indulgent weekend, as I just had.

This is very easy, very tasty and is now one of our favorite ways to eat them. Hope you like them as much as we did. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

3- large sweet bell peppers. (I bought one of each color to make them extra pretty)

1- cup cooked brown rice

2- small roma tomato, chopped.

1/2 small sweet onion (or onion powder to taste)

1/2 cups of frozen or canned corn

1/4 cup of red beans, rinsed

1/4 cup of black beans, rinsed

1/2 cup Monterey cubed cheese (one and half handfuls)

1/2 cup ripe olives, chopped (green or black)- I used black because I didn’t want it to be too salty, but either will work.

1 tsp. of basil or 2 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. of pepper

1/4 cup meatless spaghetti sauce (or 1 can of tomato soup)

1/2 cup water

2- Tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese

Directions: 

Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds; wash off with water and turn upside down on paper towel to drain. Keep tops with stem to place on top.

In large bowl mix the cooked rice, tomatoes, corn, onion, beans.

Fold in the cubes of Monterey cheese, olives, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Spoon this mixture into the peppers

Combine the spaghetti sauce and water and mix.

Pour half in bottom of over-proof pan then place the stuffed peppers on top.

Top the peppers with the remaining sauce

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese

Replace tops with stems back on peppers

Cover with foil and cook for 1 hour and 5 minutes at 350 degrees. or until peppers are al-dente and filling is hot.

Served 2 with one left over for my hubby’s lunch.

Please Note: I had a lot of filling left over and could have easily made 2-3 more peppers with this. This recipe will fill 6 small peppers or 4 large ones.