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Stanford Health Care

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

PART OF: NUTRITION SERVICES FOR CANCER PATIENTS > ALL RECIPES

Serves:  8 servings of ½ pepper each or 4 servings of 2 halves 

Per Serving (½ Pepper):  200 Calories, 9.5g Fat (1.5g Sat. Fat), 25g Carbohydrates, 7g Protein, 4.5g Fiber, 200mg Sodium

NOTE:  Not Recommended for those on a LMD (Low Microbial Diet).

Ingredients:

4 sweet bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed

¾ cup quinoa, well rinsed

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

10oz baby spinach

1 small clove garlic

¼ cup unsalted pistachios

3 Tbsp boiling water

1 15oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

1 oz (~6 Tbsp) grated Parmesan cheese

1 large bunch basil, about 4 cups 

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground pepper

¼ tsp kosher salt

Cooking Directions:

  1. Put peppers skin side up on a lightly oiled baking sheet and broil on high until slightly charred and starting to soften, about 10 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven and set them aside.
  2. While the peppers are roasting, simmer the quinoa with the vegetable broth and tomatoes in a medium pot for 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach in batches. Spoon the quinoa-spinach mixture into the roasted peppers. 
  3. To make the pesto: combine the garlic, Parmesan, basil, olive oil, pepper, and up to ¼ tsp salt in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not smooth. Stir in the boiling water. Top the filled peppers with the pesto and garnish with the pistachios.

From: Center for Science in the Public Interest (cspinet.org), May 2010