11.30.2013

Vegetarian Holiday Recipes: Sweet Pepper Poppers Recipe by Stacey Adams

Need vegetarian holiday recipes for snacking and meals? Stacey Adams is back with her own Sweet Pepper Poppers recipe. Their bright colors and cheesy topping are perfect for holiday parties and football snacks! Whether you’re into Deepak Chopra and the ancient Ayurveda healing system or just looking for delicious hot food to warm your bones and celebrate the season, you’ll love these. Happy Holidays! <3 - Belinda

Hi all! This is another cold weather treasure that makes for awesome snacks on a football Sunday or a meal by itself. The ingredients in this recipe are mostly Tri-doshic friendly from an Ayurvedic standpoint. There are some potentially heating aspects of this vegetarian holiday recipe that might aggravate Pitta a bit; however, on a cold, blustery day in December, you can aggravate my Pitta anytime. :) So, here it is!


Sweeeet Pepper Poppers!!!


Ingredients:


12 Mini Sweet Peppers
They come in all the gorgeous red, yellow and orange colors of bell peppers, but are small and skinny. Unlike similarly shaped sharps, they are sweet and mellow.

1 cup fresh spinach


1 cup freshly prepared (already cooked) couscous.
Note: 1/4 cup dry couscous makes about 1 cup cooked. If making from a box, save the leftovers for salads. It's delicious! Quinoa can be used, but I like the smaller size of couscous granules for this particular recipe.  


2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup celery, chopped small
1/4 cup carrots shredded and lightly steamed

1/3 lb. crumbled and browned tofu
Or ground and browned turkey - I have some hard-core carnivores here. :)

1/3 cup plain yogurt        
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 small bunch parsley (optional, but sweet)
2 pinches sea salt
2 Tablespoons sunflower or walnut oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

ground black pepper corn to taste
I mill it straight onto the top of the finished product before popping in the oven.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice peppers lengthwise and remove seeds.
Note: I like to keep the 2 halves together by not cutting through the other side. Just cut a slit big enough to open the pepper and take out the seeds. :)

Place the peppers on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Heat the garlic, salt, celery and oil in a pan. Sauté for a couple minutes. Add the spinach to the pan and cook until wilted, but still a lovely green.

Spoon the sautéed mix into the prepared couscous. Add in the steamed carrots, tofu (or turkey), yogurt, turmeric and most of the cheese.
Note: Keep a Tablespoon or two aside to sprinkle on top of the peppers after they come out of the oven for a little "cheese cap". This also serves to hide the veggies on the "inside" of the peppers for the picky, anti-veggie crowd. It’s a Mom trick. ;)

Stir up the couscous mix to evenly distribute everything.

With a teaspoon, spoon the mix into each of your little peppers. Be generous, but try not to overflow the little guys. Sprinkle your ground peppercorn on top.

Pop into the oven for 50 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top for last couple minutes of baking, if "cheese caps" are desired.

Upon removal from the oven, garnish the tops by sinking little parsley florets into the tops of the stuffing. Be careful. They will be hot. Place the peppers on a serving tray, and garnish the empty spaces with a few more parsley florets. (It's all about the presentation, donchaknow?)

Report: The entire plate of 12 was gone in 15 minutes, including the plate I used to take the picture. You might want to double or triple this vegetarian holiday recipe. ;)

Happy Holidays and Healthy Eating, everyone. Stay warm! <3 – Stacey

  
Guest blogger Stacey Adams is a Bodyworker, Healer, Herbal formulator, Perpetual student and Mom. She is also the owner and operator of The Woman of the Woods Health Portal. Connect with Stacey on G+. For more information on the Ayurveda healing system, see her post, What is "Ayurveda" Anyway?

Visit Stacey’s previous guest post, Pan-tastic Potato Supper.


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