Not your average stuffed peppers

It’s summertime, and to me, that means one thing when it comes to food: fresh veggies.

I discovered this recipe a few years ago on one of my favorite websites and it’s become one of my go-to dishes for this time of year. The incredible array of delicious flavors from all the fresh-grown produce blends so well that your mouth will still be watering even after you’ve licked your plate (what? I’m not ashamed to admit it…).

Some things you’ll love:

1. It’s EASY. I’m sure most of you have little to zero time to be sitting around your kitchen confused or frustrated at the putridity of the concoction you somehow wound up with. Fear no more; this is the simple of the simplest.
2. A great vegetarian alternative to a simple classic. Attempting to health-ify your eating habits? Got a vegetarian family member or dinner guest? Boom.
3. You won’t miss the beef! You carnivores must be wondering how on earth you’re expected to enjoy, never mind be fulfilled, by a meatless meal. Trust me when I say, you won’t even notice it’s gone.
4. Just as tasty re-heated. This is the perfect Tupperware and microwave-friendly meal. It’ll also win you cool points with your co-workers and bosses as they sniff their ways towards the kitchen and see what will look like your grandmother’s kitchen work.
5. Healthy AND filling. A rare occasion, and this is it people. Dig in.

 

What you’ll need:

• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
• 2/3 cup couscous
• 4 extra-large or 5 large bell peppers, mixed colors
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 6 oz zucchini, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly
• 6 oz yellow squash, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 oz (about 1 cup) crumbled feta cheese
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan, add the couscous, cover the pan and remove it from the heat. Cut the stems and top half inch off the peppers and scoop out the seeds and membranes. Place peppers upright in a baking dish and roast them for 15 minutes or so, until they soften, then remove them from the oven until the filling is ready. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, zucchini, yellow squash, fennel seeds, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas and tomato paste. Using a fork, scrape the couscous into the skillet and toss with the vegetables. Stir in the crumbled feta. Fill peppers with the couscous mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Serve immediately or let cool and package as leftovers.

Substitutions:

Because of course options are great.

1. The original recipe calls for feta, but you can substitute in other cheeses depending on what’s in your fridge. This time I swapped in 6oz goat cheese which turned out great.
2. If you don’t have tomato paste in your pantry, ketchup works just as well. Just be sure to adjust how much you add since the consistency is a little thinner than paste.

Try the recipe and comment back on what you thought! Was it as easy as promised? Even tastier than you expected? Let us know!

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