Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers, Mediterranean Style
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 large tomato diced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives pitted and diced
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 28-oz. can tomato puree divided
- 6 large red bell peppers OR yellow, halved lengthwise, stems removed and de-seeded and de-ribbed
- Aluminum foil
Instructions
- Prepare quinoa according to package directions; set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant. Add onion and garlic; cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add ground beef; cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Add the diced tomato; cook until some of the liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle mixture with oregano, lemon zest, salt and pepper; remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, meat mixture, olives, Feta cheese and 3 tablespoons of tomato puree; blend well.
- Fill each bell pepper half with meat/quinoa mixture then place them in a 9- x 13-inch baking dish; carefully pour remaining tomato puree around them. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until bell peppers are tender.
Notes
SERVING SUGGESTION: A big salad of mixed baby greens, sliced red onion, avocado and cucumber, tossed with red wine vinaigrette.
VEGETARIAN: Use TVP crumbles instead of ground beef.
KOSHER: Make sure ground beef is certified kosher and omit Feta cheese.
GLUTEN FREE: Make sure olives and tomato puree are gluten free.
NUTRITION: Per Serving: 480 Calories; 24g Fat; 23g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 63mg Cholesterol; 1042mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain; 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 4 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 3 1/2 Fat. Points: 13
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