My favourite bell peppers are stuffed with rice and veggies, which makes them super delicious and incredibly healthy. It is an easy and nutritious dinner option and you can put it with a lovely green salad. This recipe came from picking my favourite ingredients and just having fun! I of course did not want to add hamburger or cheese even though some of my family do grate cheese on their personal peppers before I put them in the oven to bake.
I recommend using yellow, orange or red peppers. Red peppers contain the most nutrition, because they’ve been on the vine longest. I shy away from green peppers always as they are harvested earlier, before they have a chance to turn yellow, orange, and then red. Compared to green bell peppers, the red ones have almost 11 times more beta-carotene and 1.5 times more vitamin C.
The peppers are tender on the outside and the filling is tastey… the onions mellow as they sauté and provide a backbone for the veggies, the mushrooms add their earthy flavour, and the carrots provide some sweetness.
Raw red peppers provide more vitamin C because vitamin C breaks down with heat. But other antioxidants like carotenoids and ferulic acid go up when red peppers are cooked.
Bell peppers are very high in vitamin C, with a single one providing up to 169% of the RDI. Other vitamins and minerals in bell peppers include vitamin K1, vitamin E, vitamin A, folate, and potassium.
I highly recommend “organic peppers” as they are on the Dirty Dozen list which are the 12 produce that are most highly sprayed. It is a simple decision that makes a world of difference for your health and flavour!
My favourite brand of rice is called “Lundberg”. Don’t forget to rinse it well before cooking and I like to cook my rice is organic chicken stock or vegetable stock. Use the kind of rice that is your favourite. For this particular recipe I used the “Lundberg” wildrice mixture.
If you are a meat lover, you can “unveganize” this recipe and add some chicken, turkey, or ground beef and my children love to sprinkle grated cheese of their choice on top. Personally, I keep my plain!
The leftovers reheat well!
Preheat the oven to 425 °F. In a small pan bring your stock of choice to a boil over medium heat and cook the rice according to the package instructions. Don't forget to rince your rice before cooking, Drain on a colander and set aside. Cut off the tops of the bell peppers ("lids") and set aside. Scoop out the inside and discard the seeds. Wash the peppers carefully and set aside to dry. I like to put them on a towel. In a large pan heat olive oil, add onion and fry for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry for a further 5-8 minutes. Add your peppers and/or carrots and zucchini, fry, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. If you prefer not to use the top you cut off as a lid to cook, serve and eat - you can just cut up the edible parts and add to mixture. Remove from the heat. Add cooked rice, tomato purée, and stir until well combined. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a pinch of chilli (optional) Divide the mixture between the peppers. Optional: Some like to top with grated cheese at this time. I prefer to sprinkle mine with chopped parsley prior to serving. Some like to and place the "lids” on top while baking while I actually use the edible parts of the lids to but up and use in my my rice mixture. Place the stuffed peppers in a greased baking tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until slightly brown on the edges. Remember that every oven is different:) Enjoy! Eye Health and Yellow, Orange and Red Bell Peppers
The most common types of visual impairments include macular degeneration and cataracts/
Lutein and zeaxanthin — carotenoids found in relatively high amounts in bell peppers — may improve eye health when consumed in adequate amounts. They can protect your retina — the light-sensitive inner wall of your eye — from oxidative damage.
A number of studies indicate that regular consumption of foods rich in these carotenoids may cut the risk of both cataracts and macular degeneration.
Stuffed Bell Peppers- Vegetarian
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