Southwestern Quinoa Bake/ Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Welcome to my first recipe post!

So being married has been a game changer in the way I eat and prepare meals. 🙂 If you knew the former me, you would know that I used to run to the cabinet and grab the quickest and most convenient meal (ramen noodles, canned soups, cereals, lean cuisines, etc.) and call it good. Sometimes I still do… But over the last few years I have actually come to enjoy cooking a good meal for me and my man. Mainly because I love to eat! Plus- it helps that when I cook, he usually does the dishes. And if he cooks, I do the dishes. Just something we agreed on early in marriage. It just works for us. The former me hardly knew how to boil an egg. I think I had three meals in my repertoire- hash brown casserole, french toast, and an egg salad sandwich. All things I still love but I am so thankful that my horizons have been expanded and I’ve learned that if you can READ, you can COOK! It’s literally as easy at that! Following a recipe, step by step!

We have been pretty diligent to take great care of our “temple.” We were challenged by these verses.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore HONOR God with you BODIES.” 1 Cor. 6:19-20

“Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates BODY and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1.

We have always been somewhat healthy and moderately active but when we got married we decided to be more aware of what we are putting into our bodies! We have been trying to eat real ingredients, whole, healthy foods that are not highly processed. A food we have enjoyed lately is Quinoa. Its a plant-based superfood high in protein, similar texture to rice. It’s really great for you! You can do so many things with it. You can eat it for breakfast with cinnamon, vanilla extract, & brown sugar, or you can have it as a side with your meat with just salt & pepper. It’s so versatile and it’s become more of a staple in our diet. You should definitely try it!

This recipe has been one of our favorites! I originally made this recipe with the ingredients stuffed in the green peppers, which was delicious… But my husband and I decided we want the green peppers to be mixed into the recipe. So, I will post both ways of making it! You can always add chicken if you want to add meat to it!

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Quinoa Stuffed Peppers/ Southwestern Quinoa Bake

Loaded with protein, veggies and healthy grains, these delicious meals will provide the nutrition that you need for a healthy, balanced diet!

INGREDIENTS

6 bell peppers, tops cut, stemmed and seeded (OR 4 diced bell peppers if making the quinoa bake)
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 (4-ounce) can green chiles
1 cup corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese (colby jack, mild cheddar, white cheddar would all be great)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder

SOUTHWESTERN QUINOA BAKE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 9×13 baking dish.

First cook the quinoa & green peppers: place 1 cup quinoa, 4 diced and seeded green peppers and 2 cups water in saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed (10-15 minutes).

Once the quinoa and green peppers are cooked, combine with green chiles, corn, beans, tomatoes, cheeses, cilantro, cumin, garlic, onion and chili powder, salt and pepper, to taste.

Put the mixture into a baking dish and bake for 15 min.

Serve Immediately.

Here is the result with the green peppers diced and cooked with the quinoa then mixed with the other ingredients and put in the oven to bake for 15 min. You could shred some more cheese on top of the bake and let it melt to add even more flavor!

It’s incredibly filling and hearty making it the perfect vegetarian option. It is SO delicious and the protein and fiber leave you feeling full and satisfied. You can definitely add chicken to it for even more flavor!

STUFFED BELL PEPPER INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Non-stick spray the baking sheet.
First cook the quinoa: place 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water in saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed (10-15 minutes).
In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, green chiles, corn, beans, tomatoes, cheeses, cilantro, cumin, garlic, onion and chili powder, salt and pepper, to taste.

Stem, seed and cut the tops off the green peppers. Spoon the filling each each bell pepper cavity. Place on prepared baking dish, cavity side up, and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through, about 25-30 minutes.