Stuffed Bell Peppers Vegan
https://glutenfree-bread.com/
Ingredients:
| Name | Units | TIP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell peppers | 8 | Cut off the top (carve a circle around the stem, like you might when you’re carving a pumpkin) and pull out the core and the seeds. Turn the peppers upside down over the sink and tap them to get the excess seeds out. You could even try rinsing the peppers out, if you need some extra help. | |
| Brown or white rice, pre-cooked | 2 cups | You can use 1 cup uncooked brown or white rice. | |
| Green lentils, uncooked | 1 cup | You can substitute green lentils with mushrooms, about 7-8 medium size, trimmed and finely chopped, and cook them over a high heat until all the water has evaporated and the mushrooms are nicely browned in a skillet. | |
| Vegetable oil | 4 tbsp | You can use any mild-flavored oil, such as olive oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil. | |
| Medium yellow onion, chopped | 1 | ||
| Small head of cabbage, thinly shredded | 1/4 | ||
| Medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced | 1 | ||
| Cloves of garlic, minced, divided | 6 | ||
| Tomato paste | 1 tbsp | ||
| Diced tomatoes, divided | 2 cans | ||
| Celery ribs, trimmed and finely chopped | 2 | ||
| Celery ribs, whole | 2 | ||
| Red beans without their juice | 1 can | ||
| Roughly chopped parsley or dill | 1/4 cup | ||
| Salt, to taste | 1 tbsp | ||
| Cracked black pepper, to taste | 1 tsp | ||
| Whole peppercorn | 8 | ||
| Bay leaf | 1 | ||
| Sun dried tomatoes | 4 |
Optional Ingredients :
| 1/4 cup nutritional yeast | |
| 1 tbsp Italian seasoning | |
| 1 pinch red pepper flakes | |
| 1 tbsp fresh chopped basil | |
| 1 tsp paprika | |
| 1 tsp cumin |
Steps:
- Prepare the peppers for stuffing. Cut off the top and pull out the core and the seeds.
- If using 1 cup uncooked rice, rinse rice thoroughly (until the water is clear). Combine 3 cups of water with rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until half done for about 15 minutes. Drain excess water.
- Rinse 1 cup of green lentils with cold water, combine 3 cups of water with lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until half done for about 15 minutes. Drain excess water.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes.
- Add ¼ small head of cabbage, thinly shredded, and let sweat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in carrot and cook for another 3 - 4 minutes.
- Stir in garlic (3 cloves), tomato paste (1 tbsp), diced tomatoes (1 can ), 2 celery ribs (trimmed, finely chopped), and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 5 minutes more.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the rice (pre-cooked), red beans (1 can) without their juice, green lentils (pre-cooked), roughly chopped parsley (1 ⁄ 4 cup ), salt (to taste), cracked black pepper (1 tsp) and. You can add some extra seasonings, see my suggestions in the optional ingredients. Stir the mixture again to redistribute the ingredients. Taste the mixture for salt and spices.
- Stuff each pepper generously with the rice mixture, filling them all the way to the top (if the peppers were truly large, you should have just the right amount of filling, in case you have extra, save it to serve as a side dish).
- Get a large soup pot, on the bottom put 2 whole celery ribs, 3 whole garlic cloves, 8 whole peppercorn, 1 tbsp salt, 1 can diced tomatoes, 4 sun dried tomatoes.
- Arrange peppers cut side up in the pot.
- Fill the soup pot up to ⅓ with boiling water.
- On the stovetop, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the peppers are tender, approximately 45 minutes.
- Serve warm topping the finished peppers with something creamy or saucy, like vegan sour cream, guacamole and Gluten Free Quinoa Oat Bread.