These stuffed peppers are really simple to make, but since they look all fancy-like, you can let the people you cooked them for think you slaved away in the kitchen for hours! 

I had bought fresh corn with the intention of adding them into the quinoa mix for this recipe, but I forgot all about it, so these peppers are cornless. Feel free to add some, if you wish. When I realized that the corn was still sitting in the fridge, I was reminded that it’s pretty impossible to “break” a recipe like this. If you leave something out, that’s fine. If you want to add something else in, that’s fine too! You can swap kale for spinach if that’s all you have in the fridge. If you’d rather use chickpeas instead of black beans, go right ahead! Experiment in the kitchen and have fun with what you’re cooking.

Ingredients:

• 4 red bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 hot pepper such as jalapeño or habanero, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 5 ounces baby spinach, chopped, about 4 cups
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 15-ounce can black beans
• 1 cup cooked quinoa Dash of sea salt
• Dash of black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Add olive oil to pan over medium heat, and cook the garlic and onion until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. 
3. Add the hot pepper and spices and cook for a minute or two longer
4. Add the spinach and stir everything together so that the spinach wilts. Remove from heat.
5. Drain the diced tomatoes and cover the bottom of a medium baking dish with the liquid. Place the tomatoes in the large bowl with the quinoa and beans.
6. Add the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the tomato, beans and quinoa. Mix everything together well. Add a dash of salt and pepper, to taste
7. Cut the tops off of the peppers and carefully remove the seeds and ribs. Place them upright in the baking dish.
8. Divide the quinoa mixture between the four peppers.
9. Cook for 30 – 35 minutes, until the peppers are tender and slightly brown in areas. 
10. Serve with steamed greens. Enjoy!