Stuffed Peppers With Ground Beef and Quinoa
by Amber Pankonin, Registered Dietitian, Lincoln, Nebraska
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped green onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ pound Certified Piedmontese ground beef (or substitute diced sirloin or tenderloin)
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 2 ounces goat cheese crumbles
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Slice the red bell peppers in half vertically and remove the pulp and seeds from inside, washing thoroughly. Cover with foil and cook for 15 minutes on baking sheet and remove.
In a heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent. Then add the garlic, salt, and pepper. Add ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink, then add the tomato sauce and cooked quinoa.
Spoon the quinoa mixture into the pepper halves. Cover the peppers with foil and return to the oven for another 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with goat cheese crumbles, and serve.