Southwest Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

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Quinoa makes for a delicious meat free option in these Southwest Quinoa Stuffed Peppers. They’re packed with cheese and bean goodness.

Welcome to another edition of #MEATLESSMONDAY  Our hosts this week are Quinoa, an ancient grain that is all the rage, and red bell pepper.  No.  I’m not jumping on the bandwagon.  I’ve known about and used quinoa YEARS ago.  I just haven’t eaten it recently because I wasn’t sure if S would appreciate it.  Still not sure if he does.

It’s funny…the first time I cooked it, there wasn’t much information about it and I wasn’t sure if I had made it correctly, if I cooked it right, if it looked right.  The instructions said NOTHING about the white ring around the grain.  I was VERY hesitant to eat it after making it.  But the recipe I made was scrumptious!!  I couldn’t help but stuff my face eat my fill of the South American style salad I made.

I attended ONE supper club twice.  One.  You’d think I would have attended more, but nope.  I blog instead.  Y’all are my Supper Club attendees.  Oh, and I guess my coworkers, too.  They get to taste almost everything I make.  ALMOST.  Some things are just too yummy to take in.  LOL

I met one person that I seriously could have been BFFs with and then she vanished.  She and I started the idea of the Supper Club we started.  Some people have friends for life.  I have friends for the moment.  I can.not for the life of me keep a BFF.  It’s not like I’m a sucky friend.  I’d do ANYTHING for a friend.  Maybe that’s a little too much for some to deal with?  I don’t know.  So, no I have no “friends” per se.  Of COURSE S is my BFF, but I have no real “girl” friends.  I have people at work that I talk to to, but outside of that…nope.

I don’t know why.

C’est la vie.

Oh yes, quinoa started this rant.  Quinoa.  It’s an ancient grain that is an excellent source of protein.  It’s a sponge and sucks up any flavor you put with it.  I liken it to a couscous, but it’s a grain and not a pasta.  This happens to be a red quinoa from Dad.

Which, when I started making it, there was just the one kind…white.  LOL  Apparently, there’s red and black, I think?  If you haven’t tried quinoa, I suggest making some.  It’s excellent and very good for you!

• It is called quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), and is a seed that comes from the Andes Mountains of South America. Quinoa’s origins are truly ancient. It was one of  the three staple foods along with corn and potatoes, of the Inca civilization. Quinoa was known then, and still is known,with respect, as the mother grain. We call it the “Supergrain of theFuture.”
• Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain; an average of 16.2  percent, compared with 7.5 percent for rice, 9.9 percent for millet, and 14 percent for wheat. Some varieties of quinoa are more than 20 percent protein.
• Quinoa’s protein is of an unusually high quality. It is a complete protein, with an essential amino acid balance close to the ideal … similar to milk!
• Quinoa’s protein is high in lysine, methionine and cystine. This makes it an excellent food to combine with and boost the protein value of other grains (which are low in lysine), or soy (which is low in methionine and cystine). – Quinoa.net

I love, “Supergrain of the Future” considering it’s from the Incas.  LOL  There is a reason some recipes and foods have been around for CENTURIES!  They work.

Not to mention that UN General Assembly claimed 2013 as the “International Year of Quinoa.”  *snort*

It’s a perfect ingredient for any Meatless Monday.  It’s a hearty grain with plenty of protein.  You WILL NOT go hungry with this grain on your plate.  That’s for sure.  We sure didn’t with this recipe.

Preheat oven to 350.  Bring water to a boil and add the quinoa and the taco seasoning. Simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender.

Slice the tops off the peppers and remove the membranes and seeds from the inside. Steam in the microwave 3 to 4 minutes, or until crisp tender. You don’t want them to be so soft that they don’t stand up.

Combine quinoa, cheddar cheese, and black beans.

Stuff peppers with quinoa mixture and top with 2 tablespoons of cheddar cheese. Lightly spray the tops of the peppers with cooking spray.

Bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving with quesadillas.