Stuffed Bell Peppers

I've been trying to do a little more "creative" cooking here lately.  The goal is to use what we have on hand and/or what's on sale at Sunflower for the week.  I don't really like this.  I'm very "type A" and I like to have very specific plans and directions.  I don't like not knowing how what I'm making is going to turn out.  But I'm trying.  And it's been successful.  These stuffed bell peppers came about because I had a tomato and onion that needed used.  I also have a stockpile of ground turkey.  And quinoa.  And shredded cheese.  The peppers were on sale.  Despite never have making anything of the sort before, they turned out really well.  I probably would have been fine with just using quinoa or quinoa and beans, but the brother made me promise to put meat in them!  So I used ground turkey, but ground beef would also be acceptable.  They don't look super pretty... kind of like puke inside a pepper... I promise it tasted MUCH better!  Here you go:

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

1  lb. ground turkey or whatever you like

1  c quinoa

3  c low-sodium broth or stock of your choosing

1  small onion, chopped

2  cloves garlic 

1  Roma tomato, chopped (mine was big, so you might want 2)

Spices to taste (I opted for cumin and coriander) 

Green bell peppers, halved (I only used 3, but there's easily enough stuffing for 6.  I froze 1/2.) 

Shredded cheese of choice (I like mozzarella, but we had fiesta blend)  

Directions:

Cut your peppers in half and clean them out.  Place them in a baking dish and pour 1 cup of the broth/stock AROUND them.  Heat the oven to like 350.  Start cooking the quinoa in 2 cups of the broth/stock.  Once it starts to boil, turn the heat down and let it simmer until the liquid is absorbed...then get it off the heat.  Brown your meat, and then add in the onion and garlic.  Cook until the onions are pretty soft.  You may need to add some EVOO (I think I did).  Once the quinoa and meat and all is done, mix it together; add the tomato.  Make sure you've put your spices in there somewhere!  Now, fill up your pepper halves.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Put them in the oven and let them bake!  I left mine in for 20 minutes, which meant that everything was warm, but the peppers were still a little crunchy.  I liked it.  For softer peppers, just leave them in there a little longer.  Enjoy!