Vegan Stuffed Peppers

After eating mostly plant based for awhile, I crave vegetables! I love creating meals and seeing how many veggies I can add to it. I decided to make vegan stuffed peppers with a variety of vegetables. I looked up a couple recipes as I usually do, but then I always give it my spin and my dietitian/nutritionist touch.

It’s vegan/plant based stuffed peppers loaded with protein, fiber, antioxidants, and so many different nutrients. I use black beans and quinoa as my protein, a bunch of different veggies, and different spices including turmeric, brewers yeast (a punch of B12), chili powder, cumin, thyme, and pretty much anything else that “smelled” good. That’s usually how I know what seasoning to add – just smell all the spices I have and play around.

The first step is to get some beautiful, colorful peppers and you could either cut just the tops off and leave the pepper like a “cup”, or you  can do what I did and cut them in halves. I typically leave them in cups but I decided to cut them in halves this time

Then you’re going to cut up all your veggies. Use the tops of the peppers that you cut and dice them along with sweet potato, onions, and garlic. Let it saute for a couple minutes. Then throw in your corn, blackbeans, and canned of diced tomatoes. Then you’ll add your seasoning. Meanwhile, you’re cooking your quinoa. Once the quinoa is complete you’ll combine everything together.

Adjust seasonings to taste then scoop it out and fill the peppers. Put a small amount of salsa in the baking dish to steam the peppers. Let cook for 40 minutes and voila. Dinner is ready.

What’s in it for mom and baby?

Black beans are an excellent source of folate, which helps prevent neural tube defects during pregnancy; fiber through the veggies, beans and corn, which helps combat constipation – a common side effect during pregnancy; iron, which transports oxygen throughout your blood stream; protein, which is important for every stage of pregnancy as you are creating a human being, and B12 with the Brewers yeast which helps maintain healthy nerve cells which is critical for the developing baby. B12 works together with folic acid/folate in making red blood cells that helps iron work more efficiently.

For breastfeeding moms, there is no need to avoid black beans in fear that it will make your baby gassy. Breastmilk is made from your blood, so what happens in your digestive tract, has no influence of what goes in your bloodstream. If you eat gassy foods, is your blood now gassy? No. Now allergens, alcohol, medications, etc do go into your bloodstream, but gassy foods do not.

The topped avocados are an excellent source of healthy fat, which are crucial for baby’s brain development. It also contains anti-inflammatory components, which occurs both during pregnancy and even breastfeeding.

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Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Plant-based/vegan, gluten free, with a Mexican twist, and a whole lot of nutrition and taste

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Author Allegra Gast, RDN, IBCLC

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 4 colorful peppers
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 onion
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can corn
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp brewers yeast (optional)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 cup salsa
• 1/2 avocado (optional topping)

Instructions

1. Add 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water to a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cover once the water is boiling. Simmer for about 20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy
   

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
   

3. Wash peppers then cut the tops of the peppers off to use as part of the ‘stuffing’. Cut the peppers into halves.
   

4. Dice or chop in small pieces the pepper tops, onions, garlic, and sweet potato
   

5. Saute on a stovetop over medium heat the olive oil with garlic, onions, and diced peppers until soft. Add the diced sweet potato, can of corn, can of tomatoes, and black beans and simmer on low to medium heat. Add all the spices and mix. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft
   

6. Once the quinoa is finished, combine the quinoa with your stuffing and stir. Adjust seasoning as needed
   

7. Place 1/2 cup salsa in your baking dish. Place halved peppers and scoop a generous amount of the stuffing into your peppers. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes
   

8. Remove the foil and increase the over to 400 degrees F and bake for another 15 minutes or until the peppers are soft.
   

9. Serve with salsa and avocados or a topping of your choice.