This one is great for cutting back the carbs and using some leftovers, spiced up with some chorizo type sausage. Quinoa is high in protein so a nice replacement for rice or pasta.
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
- 1/2 cup Quinoa (rinsed)
- 1 cup Chicken stock
- 2 Red Peppers
- 2 Tbls. Olive Oil (I always use it, other oil is ok too)
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 2 stock of celery, diced
- 4 oz of mushrooms, diced
- 5-6 oz of Longaniza sausage (this is a cured chorizo, just use chorizo if you can’t find it in the mexican section of the market) Use more if you love the taste and want more meat in the mixture.
- 1 cup of leftover chicken, diced (or any other meat you might want to add, this is optional if you don’t have leftover chicken, just a good use for it.)
- 1 Tomato, diced
- Goat Cheese (or a milder white cheese if you don’t like goat cheese)
Bring chicken stock to a boil, place quinoa in, then cover and turn to low to cook for 15 minutes. This can be done ahead of time or you can use leftovers if you cook quinoa a lot.
Cut red peppers in half vertically and remove seeds and stems. If using 4 peppers, dice the pepper that you have cut off for stuffing. Saute the onion and celery in olive oil over medium heat just until it softens a little, add diced red pepper if you have it.
Add the mushrooms and Longaniza (or Chorizo) breaking up the sausage into small pieces as it cooks. Cook until the sausage is cooked through and crumbly, stirring with a wooden spoon.
Add the chicken, tomato and Quinoa and mix in to the onion mixture. You don’t really need any other seasoning, but can add Salt and Pepper if you want. Stuff 1/2 of the mixture into the peppers, then sprinkle cheese over the stuffed mixture. Repeat with more of the stuffing, topped by more cheese.