a twist on a classic

I eat a lot of quinoa. I think its a delicious and versatile ingredient to keep around your kitchen. You can dress it up or dress it down, pair it with cheese, herbs, veggies- you name it. While quinoa acts very similarly to a grain, it is actually a seed and it is filled with protein. Plus, it's gluten free. It often makes its way into my weeknight dinners, and tonight was no exception. This is a recipe that I came up with a while ago, and have since reused and revamped it.

Stuffed peppers are a classic dish- but this definitely puts a spin on the old classic. By stuffing the peppers with quinoa rather than meat and rice, the flavor levels are really elevated. I'm a huge fan of Greek food, and this is dish was inspired by my favorite Greek flavors. I definitely encourage you to make this dish for a yummy weeknight meal or to impress your friends. Play around with the ingredients- I promise, it will be delicious. I've added in basil, spinach, pine nuts, almonds, even chick peas into the mix- all work deliciously!

Greek Stuffed Peppers

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
two large bell peppers (yellow, red, or orange)
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup mini heirloom tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp feta cheese
handful fresh chive, chopped
large handful fresh dill, chopped
1/4 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil

pre-stuffing

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
Bring quinoa, broth, and water to boil in a small pot. Cover the pot and bring down the heat to low, letting the quinoa simmer for about 15 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy
Once the quinoa is done, season with salt, pepper, cumin, dill, and chive
Mix in the broccoli, tomatoes, and feta cheese
Cut the tops off of the two peppers, and remove the seeds from the inside
Scoop the quinoa mixture into the peppers, packing it in tightly and filling to just above the top of the pepper
Drizzle the tops of the peppers with olive oil, and place them in a baking dish
Fill the dish with about an inch of water and place into the oven
Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, until the tops begin to crisp, and then cover with tin foil and finish baking for another 10 minutes
The peppers will be done when they are soft to the touch (test with a fork)
enjoy!!

beauty.