Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

Whenever I go to Cyma, a Greek restaurant in Manila, I always order their Paidakia, the chargrilled lamb ribs, and I always have it with the Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers. The peppers are divine, but they are very oily. Plus the white rice is not that healthy too. So I've refashioned this tasty dish into a healthier one by swapping the oily rice stuffing with quinoa in tomato sauce and pine nuts. It's now a healthy, vegetarian dish which can be a meal in itself (we eat this for breakfast at home), or a side to a dry main dish, like grilled pork chops, chicken or steak.

QUINOA STUFFED BELL PEPPERS
Makes 4 stuffed pepper halves

2 medium sized red and/or yellow bell peppers
1/2 cup quinoa
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (since pine nuts are so expensive, you can also substitute with other nuts, like almonds)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, minced
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Grated cheese for topping

Procedure:

1. Cut the bell peppers in half (crosswise or lengthwise doesn't matter, but I usually cut them crosswise and cut the stem too, to allow both halves to "sit" on the dish.)  Blanch the pepper halves in boiling water for a few seconds until they are partially cooked. Drain and set aside.

2.  Toast the nuts in a pan, without oil, until they are lightly brown. Set aside.

2. Prepare the stuffing. Heat a tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Saute the garlic and when slightly brown, add and sauté the onions.  Add the quinoa and sauté until slightly brown.  Add the tomato sauce, sugar, salt and pepper and simmer until the quinoa is cooked and develops a translucent "eye."  If it is too dry, add more tomato sauce or broth. Adjust the seasonings as needed.

3.  Add the toasted nuts and mix well. Stuff the peppers almost to the brim.  Grate cheese on top.

4. Brush a baking dish with oil and put the stuffed peppers on top.  Bake in preheated oven at 350F for about 7 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Notes:

1. Depending on the size of your bell peppers, you may have to adjust the recipe above, with regard to the quinoa, nuts and tomato sauce.

2. I like to use red and yellow bell peppers as they are sweeter than green bell peppers. Their colour holds very well too in the cooking process.