Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

I love vegan cooking because every dish is filled with the colors of the vegetable rainbow. I have fun with this over the holidays. That said, here is my recipe for green and red stuffed peppers, kale included!

Ingredients:

• 6 sweet bell peppers (red or green)
• 1-1/2 cups red quinoa
• 3 cups filtered water
• 4 cups washed and chopped kale
• 2 cups cooked black eyed peas
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• juice of 1 lemon

Serves 6.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a saucepan over the stove, bring water and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, slice the tops off the peppers, and remove all ribs and seeds. Tip: cut a very thin slice from the base to help the peppers stand up.
4. Mix in kale, black eyed peas, and olive oil to cooked quinoa.
5. Place the peppers in a baking dish, and spoon the quinoa mixture into the peppers. Cover with foil, and bake for 25 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms and balsamic vinegar in the saucepan over high heat until the mushrooms soften and look caramelized. (5-6 minutes)
7. Remove stuffed peppers from oven, top with mushrooms and lemon juice, and serve. The vegans, vegetarians, and health conscious folks at your holiday dinner will be very grateful! 

Optional: Add a dollop of hummus to each plate for a tasty compliment.