Ricotta and Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F).

Combine the first seven ingredients (ricotta through garlic powder) in a bowl, along with half of the grated cheddar. Season well with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Cut the top off each pepper, and use a sharp knife to reach inside and remove the seeds (if you are finding this tricky, make one slice down the side of the pepper to help).

Use a teaspoon to stuff each pepper with a third of the ricotta mixture (if you are using long peppers like I did, make sure you press it right down to the bottom).

Spread about 100g of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish (use a tall one that the peppers can easily fit into standing up), and place the peppers on top of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the tomatoes, and top with the remaining grated cheese.

Place in the oven for around 25 minutes, or until the pepper is quite soft and the cheese is crispy (if the cheese is browning too quickly, cover with foil and continue to cook until the pepper is soft).