Stuffed Jack-O’- Lanterns

It’s getting to be that time of year when pumpkins, black cats, witches on brooms and harvest moons appear. As the leaves begin to show hints of autumn colors, the days get shorter and sweaters are pulled out of hybrination, I begin thinking of warm, soothing comfort foods. Stuffed peppers is a favorite cool weather meal in our household but tonight I made them a little different. Instead of the usual lengthwise cut I made them into little Jack-O’-Lanterns. I wish I could take credit for the idea. Instead it was a picture someone on facebook posted back in August and it has been on my mind ever since.

Traditionally, stuffed pepper recipes are made with ground beef. When you commit to a plant based way of eating, however, the source of protein becomes lentils, peas, chickpeas, edamame, beans, tofu, soy, spirulina, oats and sprouted whole grain bread. Plant based proteins that are prepared healthy contain the same chain of amino acids necessary to build and repair body cells without the extra baggage of “bad” fats. In this recipe, black beans are the star performer protein although kidney beans would also work very nicely.

Ingredients

• 4 orange, red, yellow or green bell peppers (make sure they can stand upright)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice (or quinoa)
• 1 can sodium free black beans drained (or kidney beans)
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cans reduced sodium condensed tomato soup
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tsp. ground black pepper (more or less depending on preference)
• 3 small potatoes peeled
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• fresh chives

Directions

1. Slice off the tops of the peppers and set aside. Hollow the insides of the peppers removing the seeds and white parts.
2. Carve little jack-o’-lantern faces on the peppers
3. Arrange the carved peppers on a glass baking dish and microwave for approximately 5-8 minutes until slightly tender. Note: they should still be firm, not floppy.
4. Saute the onions and garlic in a large sauce pan with a small amount of water. Add the rice, black beans, tomato soup and pepper. Mix together and cook until warm.
5. Stuff the peppers and put the tops on.
6. Mix the remaining can of tomato soup with 3/4 cup water and a little black pepper and pour underneath and around the peppers.
7. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
8. Peel, cube and boil the potatoes until soft. Drain then add the almond milk and mash. Garnish with fresh chives.