Try this spooky twist on classic stuffed peppers, and one that is fun for the family to make. Studies have shown that getting kids involved in the kitchen helps to improve their fruit and vegetable intake and provides a hands-on learning experience that they can keep with them for years to come. Studies also show that children are more likely to eat the food they help make, so cooking healthily with kids set them up for a higher intake of healthy foods and increased chances of trying new foods or foods they may have previously expressed they didn’t like. This recipe is a fun way to expose kids to healthy eating.
Ingredients:
- 4 orange bell peppers (Aim for peppers that have four segments on the bottom so that they stand up more easily. Otherwise you can roll up some aluminum foil and make a ring to hold up the pepper.)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¾ cup dry brown rice or other whole grain (try farro, bulgur wheat or quinoa)
- 14 oz can of whole tomato with juice (look for low sodium or no salt added)
- 1 ½ cups cooked lentils (or one can, drained)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup of shredded cheese of choice
Cook Rice
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan on medium high. When hot, add onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently so that onion doesn’t burn. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring well. Add one can of whole tomatoes along with the juice and break apart the large chunks into smaller pieces. Add ¾ cup of rice and 1 cup of water. Cook for about 30 minutes or until rice is cooked through. Check frequently and add more water if needed while cooking. When the rice is done cooking, add the lentils, cumin, chili powder, oregano and cayenne pepper. Mix it up well, and set aside.
Prep and Stuff Peppers
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the tops off the peppers, about ½ down from the stem and remove the pith and seeds. Trim the inside to make more space. Using a paring knife, or a butter knife, carve out pumpkin faces on your peppers. Place the peppers with the open side up into a lightly sprayed baking dish. Fill each pepper with filling, gently press down but it’s ok if the filling mounds up over the pepper top. Depending on the size of the peppers, each one will hold about ½ cup or so of the lentil and rice mixture. Top each pepper half with 1 tablespoon of cheese and bake at 350° F until heated and cheese is melted, approximately 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition Facts (serving size 1 pepper): Easy Brown Rice Lentil Stuffed Peppers – Cook Eat Live Love
Calories: 278; Total fat: 7.6g; Sodium: 264.9 mg; Total Carb: 41.7g; Fiber: 8.9g; Sugar: 8.4g; Protein: 12.6g
Recipe adapted from:
