These peppers stuffed with quinoa are delicious and enjoyed by many.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- dash cayenne pepper
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) vegetable broth
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed
- 2 each medium sweet red yellow and orange peppers
- 4 medium carrots finely chopped
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sunflower kernels
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram
- Carbohydrate 1.79766401365604 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.93378381247373 g
- Fiber 0.20689041824822 g
- Protein 1.14288617353267 g
- Saturated Fat 0.447428534718348 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (18g)
- Sodium 29.0599979156949 mg
- Sugar 1.59077359540782 g
- Trans Fat 0.148021138884899 g
- Calories 53 calories
Step-by-step
- In a small saucepan, bring the broth, water and bay leaf to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Discard bay leaf.
- Cut peppers in half lengthwise and discard seeds. In a large kettle, cook peppers in boiling water for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse in cold water; invert onto paper towels.
- In a large nonstick skillet, saute the carrots and onions in oil until tender. Add the quinoa, sunflower kernels and seasonings; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until heated through. Spoon into pepper halves. Place in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350degrees for 20-25 minutes or until peppers are tender.
Quinoa acts as the structural and textural anchor for this preparation, absorbing flavored liquids efficiently while maintaining an individual seed integrity that prevents the filling from turning into a paste. Rinsing the raw seed thoroughly before cooking removes saponin, a naturally occurring compound that otherwise imparts a bitter taste to the grain. Boiling the grain in a combined ratio of vegetable broth and water infuses deep savory notes directly into the core, ensuring the base possesses enough flavor to stand up to the sweet bell peppers without requiring heavy sauces.
Partial boiling of the pepper halves in unsalted water for three to five minutes softens the fibrous walls just enough to yield a crisp-tender bite upon baking. Plunging those blanched shells immediately into cold water stops the residual cooking process, locking in the vibrant color of the red, yellow, and orange varieties. Inverting the drained halves onto paper towels removes excess surface moisture, protecting the final baking pan from accumulating watery puddles that would otherwise steam the filling instead of roasting it.
Freezing these stuffed vegetables successfully requires assembling the components completely without baking them first, wrapping individual portions tightly in plastic wrap followed by heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw unbaked portions entirely in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours before transferring them to a 350-degree oven for twenty-five to thirty minutes. Reheating previously baked leftovers often results in over-softened pepper walls that collapse entirely under their own weight, so raw-assembly freezing preserves structural integrity much better.
Overcooking the aromatics during the initial skillet saute represents the most frequent error committed by home cooks attempting stuffed vegetable dishes. Onions and finely chopped carrots need only sweat until tender in canola oil without taking on significant browning, preserving a mild sweetness that complements the nutty sunflower kernels folded in at the end. Stirring the cooked grain and seasonings into the warm skillet for precisely two minutes integrates the dried basil, paprika, and oregano oils into the mixture before the filling goes into the oven.
