Santa Fe Mushroom & Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Ready in 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Quinoa – ¾ Cup

Water – 1.5 Cups

Bell Peppers – 4 red, yellow and/or orange

Cremini Mushrooms – 12oz

Onion – 1 medium

Zucchini – 1 medium

Carrots – 2 medium

Tomatoes – 2 medium red vine variety

Garlic – 3 cloves

Vegetable Broth – ½ Cup

Cumin – 1 Tbs

Chili Powder – 1 Tbs

Oregano – 2 tsp dried

Cayenne – 1 tsp (optional)

Salt & Pepper – to taste

Cilantro – ½ fresh bunch (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Slice the tops off of the 4 bell peppers and remove the ribs/seeds. Place the peppers, standing up, on a baking tray lined with a silicone baking mat or fitting them together tightly into a small baking dish. If your peppers are on a baking sheet and having a hard time standing you can slice of just a tiny bit of whichever of the little “feet” on the bottom to make it more flat, be sure not to make a hole into the cavity of the pepper. Bake the peppers for 20 minutes. While the peppers are roasting cook quinoa according to package directions or add quinoa and water to rice cooker and start. Wash and dry the mushrooms and add them to a food processer and pulse until very fine diced pieces but not pureed. Dice the onion and tomatoes, roughly chop the cilantro, and grate the carrots and zucchini. In a large skillet over medium heat sauté the onions in half of the vegetable broth until translucent and slightly browned on the edges, about 3-5 minutes. Grate or press the garlic cloves into the pan, add the spices, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Drop in the mushrooms and cook until the water is drawn out, about 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots and continue cooking for another few minutes adding splashes of vegetable stock if the pan gets dry. Add the grated zucchini, diced tomatoes and cook until the water is drawn out, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, if it is large enough stir the cooked quinoa and cilantro into the pan. If your pan isn’t large enough; stir cooked quinoa, cilantro and cooked mushroom mixture into a large bowl and stir thoroughly to combine. (If you would like; reserve some quinoa and some cilantro to decorate the tops.) Divide the quinoa and mushroom mixture evenly into each roasted pepper on the baking sheet, or in the baking dish, until they are very full. (If using reserved quinoa sprinkle it on the tops of the peppers before putting them in the oven but don’t add the cilantro yet.) Bake the stuffed peppers for another 5-10 minutes. Add your favourite toppings like Pico de Gallo, fresh salsa or (as pictured) a home made cashew sour cream and sprinkle reserved cilantro on top and enjoy!

Recipe created by Talor Martens @KindredAura