Southwestern Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• butter for baking dish
• 8-10 Bellafina peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup quinoa
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canned sweet corn
• 1 cup canned black beans
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley (you can also use cilantro)
• salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 2 cups 4-Cheese Mexican Blend, divided
• plain yogurt or light sour cream, for garnish, optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease a baking dish with butter.
• Place halved bell peppers in casserole dish and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine vegetable broth and quinoa and bring to a boil; lower to a simmer, cover, and continue to cook for 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat, gently fluff with a fork and set aside.
• Heat olive oil over medium heat.
• Add diced onions and season with salt; cook for 1 minute, or until translucent.
• Stir in sweet corn and beans; continue to cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
• Stir in grape tomatoes and cooked quinoa; season with chili powder, cayenne pepper, dried parsley, salt and pepper.
• Add 1 cup cheese; mix well and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until everything is heated through and cheese is melted.
• Remove from heat.
• Divide mixture evenly between peppers, packing the quinoa mixture tightly into the hollow pepper shells.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and top each pepper with remaining cheese.
• Put back in the oven and continue to bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
• Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes.
• Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt or light sour cream.

Notes