Ingredients
Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 1
- 1 medium red or green bell pepper
- 1/3 cups cooked quinoa
- 1/3 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1/3 cups grated zucchini
- 1 tablespoon minced basil or parsley
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan or Romano cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts, divided
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Cut the top off of the bell pepper and remove the seeds and ribs, leaving the remaining pepper intact. Trim the bottom slightly, if necessary, so it will stand up straight.
- Combine the quinoa, tomatoes, zucchini, basil or parsley, 1 tablespoon of the cheese, 2 teaspoons of the pine nuts, lemon juice, oil, and garlic in a medium bowl. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Place the bell pepper in a baking dish and add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the dish.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Top the pepper with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cheese and 1 teaspoon of pine nuts and bake, uncovered, for 15 more minutes or until the cheese is melted and the nuts are golden.
Why we love this recipe:
Quinoa lives up to its “super grain” status. Not only is it a protein packed grain but it goes well with pretty much anything from fish to beans to simply coupling it with veggies. Bell peppers bring in the vitamin C, which is a superfood for your skin and zucchini contains flavonoids that help prevent oxidative damage to your cells, which causes aging. The zucchini and tomatoes are two veggies we find most people love and they are both filled with not only nutrients, but the water volume and fiber help to fill you up. Parsley, garlic and lemon juice are almost zero calorie ingredients, which pumps up the flavor and nutrients of the dish. This veggie recipe makes a perfect lunch or dinner – you can even double the recipe and save some time for an easy and nutritious lunch the next day.
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