Stuffed Quinoa Bell Peppers

Light and lighter Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers filled with tomatoes, onions, black beans and cilantro, seasoned to perfection and topped with melted cheese!

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A cook had to delete the entire post because, well, it was all about Sean. The too-good-to-be-true, too-hot-for-cable-television, all-American-reliable-male-specimen-SEAN. What was she thinking letting him go???

What goes in

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 15 ounces can diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
• 1 15 ounces can black beans, rinsed, drained
• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup Trader Joes Pepper Jack cheese
• 4 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs removed
• Salt and pepper

How it comes together

1. Heat oil in saucepan over a moderate burner. Saute onion, celery and jalapeno for about 5 minutes, until soft, then add cumin and garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in drained tomatoes (reserving liquid) and cook for 5 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
2. Stir in black beans, quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Stir in 1 cup of cheese and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and pour reserved liquid from tomatoes in the bottom of your baking dish.
4. Fill each halved bell pepper with 3/4 cup quinoa mixture and place in baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Transfer stuffed bell peppers onto serving dish and drizzle pan juices over top. Enjoy!