Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

By garciamoss

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 1 Tbs. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups grated reduced-fat pepper Jack cheese, divided( optional)
• 4 large red bell peppers, top cut off and seeds removed

Details

Adapted from citronlimette.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add cumin, oregano, paprika and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in drained tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes.
Stir in black beans. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook 5 minutes. Stir in cooked quinoa and 1 cup cheese (optional). Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour liquid from tomatoes in bottom of baking dish.
Fill each bell pepper with heaping ¾-cup quinoa mixture, and place in baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Uncover, and sprinkle each pepper with 1 Tbs. remaining cheese (optional). Bake 15 minutes more, or until tops of stuffed peppers are browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates, and drizzle each with pan juices before serving.