Recipe: Beef and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups of water
• 4 large bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Let it simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy and water has been absorbed.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Make sure to break it up into small pieces.
4. Add onions and garlic to the skillet and cook until onions are translucent.
5. Stir in the diced tomatoes, spices, and the cooked quinoa until everything is well mixed. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Arrange the bell peppers in a baking dish, standing up, and evenly distribute the beef and quinoa mixture among them.
7. Top each stuffed pepper with shredded cheese, then cover the baking dish with foil.
8. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until bell peppers are tender and cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
9. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Nutritional Information:

• Calories: 425
• Protein: 32g
• Fat: 18g
• Carbs: 30g

Plating:

Hold the bell pepper’s stem and carefully place it at the center of the plate. Make sure the cheese is on top and the opening of the pepper is facing upwards. Sprinkle some fresh parsley around the stuffed bell pepper for garnish, but also over the top to add a pop of color against the golden cheese. The presentation should have a balance between the vibrant color of the pepper, the richly browned cheese on top, and the bright green parsley.