I don’t enjoy being in the kitchen. When I cook, I want it to be quick and easy, including prep time. Being a plant-based eater, cleaning vegetables can be a chore. So I often splurge on chopped fresh veggies or use frozen ones. I love finding vegan recipes that include hearty beans for protein, herbs for taste and vitamin-filled raw vegetables for nutrients. This bean and quinoa stuffed peppers one fits the bill.
This recipe was inspired from a Wildtree frozen dinner workshop. Three years ago, when I was managing a number of high-profile projects at work, I needed a solution to help make meals easy and wholesome. Wildtree offers organic products that are free of additives, preservatives, food dyes, MSG, high fructose corn syrup and GMOs. An added bonus for my household is that the facility is also completely nut-free. I’ve often purchased their sauces and poured them over chicken before baking it in the oven. (Prep time – 1 minute) I’ve also used their seasoning blends to flavor steamed cauliflower and fresh raw tomatoes. I’m not getting paid for this promotion; I’m merely a huge fan that should serve as their goodwill ambassador. I really believe in their products for the health conscious family that doesn’t want to spend a lot of time cooking.
In addition to the taste, I also like that the bean and quinoa stuffing can be frozen for later use. I’ve started to prepare meals on Sunday nights to make my weeknight dinners just a thaw away.
- 1½ cups grated carrots
- 2 tbsp. Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil (or EVOO as a substitution)
- 1½ tbsp. Wildtree Cajun Seasoning Blend (or your favorite cajun seasoning)
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 10 oz. (1 package) frozen spinach
- 2 cans black beans, 15 oz., drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz., drained
- 1½ tsp. Himalayan sea salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 2 cups water
- 6 large bell peppers (multicolored are nice), halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed
- Combine all ingredients (except bell peppers) in a gallon size freezer bag, shake and smash to allow seasoning to distribute.
- Pour contents into a large skillet, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes or until quinoa is tender.
- Fill each pepper with quinoa mixture.
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