White Bean and Kale Stuffed Peppers

I addition to the above ingredients, you may also consider adding some lemon zest, maybe a bit more rosemary, and more tomato paste for flavor. I would also add more kale next time I make this (maybe double it?) because it cooked down quite a bit. If you try out those changes, leave a comment to let me know how it goes!

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes from inside. Place the peppers in a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes to soften them. Chop up the tops of the peppers (the flesh around the stems) and set them aside to add in later. When the peppers are done cooking remove the dish from the oven and set them aside for a few minutes. Keep the oven on.

Rinse quinoa in a colander under running water. Then add it into a small pot with the vegetable broth. You should use the amount of liquid that usually works for you when cooking quinoa, or the amount recommended on your package. I usually see recipes call for 1 1/2 cups of liquid, but less works better for me.) Bring it to a boil then lower heat a bit and simmer for about 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender and no liquid remains. Then remove the pan from the heat.

Add a small amount of olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions, garlic, and carrots and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rosemary. Stir in the kale and the reserved chopped bell peppers. Saute until softened, 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add the quinoa, tomato paste, beans and lemon juice (and zest if using) and stir to combine. Season to taste with crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.

Make sure that the peppers are sitting upright in your dish. Spoon the quinoa mixture into the peppers and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes. Serve hot!