Jack-‘O-Peppers!

I got this recipe from Registered Dietitian Ashley Harper Evans. I think they are the cutest. Not only is this recipe extremely healthy, but these peppers are seriously adorable for the fall season. Peppers are one of my favorite foods, so I had to give it a try. Note: this is a vegan recipe, but you could easily incorporate meat if you wanted to.

Ingredients

• 6 orange bell peppers
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced (I used baby carrots b/c that is what I had in my refrigerator – I used 12 baby carrots)
• 1/2 c. chopped mushrooms
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 c. uncooked quinoa (I used 1/2 c. each of red and traditional quinoa to mix it up)
• 1 c. dried lentils
• 5 c. water or unsalted vegetable broth
• 2 c. spinach, chopped
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1/2 can chopped water chestnuts (if you’re not a fan of water chestnuts, neither am I, but I didn’t mind them in this recipe)
• 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

Directions

• Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and reserve for serving. Remove the seeds and rinse.
• Using a small pumpkin carver, cut two eyes, a nose and a mouth into each pepper.

• In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and sauté until translucent and browned. Add the water, lentils and quinoa and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes. Add the rest of your ingredients and stir to combine.
• Stuff each pepper with the mixture and place the tops back on.

• Note: the original recipe said to place the peppers on the grill (low heat) and warm until ready to serve. Instead, I covered them with foil and put them in the oven at 375°F for about 35 minutes. They actually hold together extremely well.

Serve and enjoy!

Have a happy and safe Halloween, everyone!
– Kacie