Whether you’re a vegan or vegetarian, a meat-free Monday veteran, or just someone looking to reduce the amount of meat they consume, we can all agree that cutting back on meat and eating more vegetables is a good idea. Stuffed peppers are a tasty, versatile, and inexpensive dish that is easy and quick to cook up at the end of an exhausting Monday. They are packed full of antioxidants and vitamin C to fuel you on into Tuesday.
One of the best things about stuffed peppers is how versatile they are, making them a great dish for using up leftovers and reducing your food waste. All you need is a pepper, a grain or lentils and a filling. I’ve listed my recipe for carb-free stuffed peppers below, but there are tons of other recipes out there, so change it up all you like until you find your favorite combination. (I recommend Pinterest for some catering inspiration!)
Yummy scrummy carb-free stuffed peppers
What you’ll need:
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1 Red Pepper
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A tin of green lentils
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A bunch of kale
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Cherry tomatoes
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Feta cheese (Goats cheese works well too!)
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1 tsp. green basil pesto
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Olive oil
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Balsamic glaze (optional)
What to do:
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Preheat the oven to 200°C. Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the kale according to the package instructions.
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Drain the pan of cooked kale, and add the lentils, stirring until combined. Place a lid over the pan and return to a low heat, to keep the mixture warm.
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Chop the pepper in half and remove the stems/seeds.
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Add a tablespoon of the kale/lentil mix to each pepper-half.
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Halve the cherry tomatoes and add a few to each pepper-half.
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Chop the feta into small chunks and add to each pepper-half. Your peppers should now be full to the point where they’re almost overflowing. Add half a teaspoon to a full teaspoon of pesto in each and spread, filling any gaps.
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Season with pepper/salt to taste. Place on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Cook for 20-25 minutes.
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Five minutes before the peppers are done, add the remaining halved tomatoes to the lentil/kale mix. Add some crumbled feta to taste and stir until it’s all combined.
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Plate the lentil mixture on your plate as a bed/base, with the cooked stuffed peppers on top. If using, drizzle with balsamic glaze and add a few grindings of black pepper to taste.
So go forth and stuff! Experiment with various combinations and master meat-free Monday once and for all. Stuffed peppers are affordable, simple, and healthy, so why not give it a go?