Stuffed Bell Peppers with Quinoa and Black Beans

Ingredients

• 4 green bell pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 2 clove garlic
• 1 cup quinoa
• 15 oz black beans
• 1 cup sweetcorn
• 14½ oz diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1½ cup shredded Mexican cheese
• ¼ cup cilantro (optional)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Halve bell peppers, remove seeds, and place cut-side up in a baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes until slightly softened.
2. While peppers bake, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion for 3-4 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese.
4. Remove bell peppers from the oven. Carefully stuff each pepper half with the quinoa and black bean mixture. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
5. Return stuffed peppers to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and peppers are tender.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving, garnished with fresh chopped cilantro, if desired.