Vegan Peppers Filled with Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
• ¼ cup water (Optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste (Optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon salt (Optional)
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• cooking spray
• 4 large green bell peppers - tops, seeds, and membranes removed
• water to cover (Optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 large white mushrooms, sliced

Step 1

Bring the broth, water, and bay leaf to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, add the quinoa, lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer gently until all the liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes. Toss out the bay leaf, then stir in the tomato paste, parsley, salt, paprika, oregano, basil, and thyme to flavor the quinoa.

Step 2

While the quinoa cooks, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a baking dish. If needed, trim a small slice off the bottoms of the bell peppers so they can stand up straight. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the peppers, and cook them just until they start to soften but are still firm, about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking.

Step 3

Heat some olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic, and sauté until everything is tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cooked quinoa and warm it through for a couple of minutes, then take the skillet off the heat and mix in the mushrooms.

Step 4

Fill each pepper with the quinoa and veggie mixture, place them in your prepared baking dish, and bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until the peppers are nicely tender. Enjoy!