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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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