Southwest Inspired Stuffed Peppers

Stuck in a clean food rut? With a seasonal plethora of local produce, summer is a great time to experiment with new veggie recipes for cheap! Tonight I tried my hand at these baked peppers stuffed with quinoa, black beans, avocado, tomatoes, and corn. To add extra bang to the stuffing, I mixed in a really easy lime-cumin dressing.


This recipe is gluten free, vegetarian, and only 368 calories per pepper! Nix the cheese, and you have a vegan-friendly meal for 342 calories. If you want to make the recipe cheaper, just substitute brown rice for the quinoa. It's still delicious and filling!

Stuffed Pepper Ingredients:
6 bell peppers, any color
3 cups quinoa (or brown rice), cooked
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Dressing Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/3 cup lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder

To make the dressing, just mix all the ingredients together.

Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 350 and prepare your quinoa as directed on the package (I use a 2:1 water to quinoa ratio in a rice cooker). While your quinoa is cooking, cut out the tops of your peppers.

I used colored peppers, but green ones would also be good, just a little less sweet

Mix together the beans, tomatoes, corn, avocado, and green onion with the dressing. Add extra cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder to taste, and mix in your quinoa once it's cooked.

Stuff each pepper, using a small spoon to press the mixture into every crevice. Put all the peppers in a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.

I had a little stuffing left over, so I just threw it into the dish.

After 20 minutes, garnish the peppers with cheddar cheese, then cook for another 10 minutes. Let cool a couple minutes, then enjoy!

Let me know what you think, and what you did to make the recipe even better!

Bread to the Nations

Today's blog post is short and sweet, but it's so dear to my heart that I had to share.

If you're a busy college student like me, you might struggle to find the time to personally seek out ways you can help others. I know I've really had a hard time with this last year, even when I planned philanthropies for my cooperative house. Well, here's an opportunity for you to help families in need without even leaving your room!

A friend of my family has been working with a nonprofit organization called Bread to the Nations, and my mom and I have found a chance to use or hobbies and talents to support this ministry.

"Bread to the Nations is a Christ-centered nonprofit organization working in Carrefour, Haiti. [Their] mission is to restore God’s model to families and communities in Haiti by strengthening the church and strengthening families."

"Bread to the Nations works with and through the God-ordained institution of the local church to fulfill basic physical needs, maintain the family unit supported by the local church as God’s intended model for raising children, and to prepare and empower the next generation of Haitians to develop and utilize their God-given gifts and talents to work as productive citizens and faithful followers of Christ."

One of their outreach programs called Medika Mamba, (literally "Peanut Butter Medicine") is helping Haitian children recover from Kwashiorkor and other severe forms of malnutrition through an entirely Haitian product. Because Haitians make the product, Medika Mamba not only helps children, but also stimulates Haiti's economy.

 There are a few ways you can help: 

1. Make a financial donation directly do the organization.

2. Join the organization and go to the front lines yourself

3. If you could use an update to your wardrobe, shop at RPL Designs on Etsy. At least 10% of every purchase you make will go directly to Bread to the Nations and Medika Mamba. Don't see anything you like? Check back later! We're always making something new! 

Please take a couple minutes to look into this amazing ministry. Maybe you'll be called to help, too!