Red Peppers Filled with Quinoa and Chickpeas

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil, or as needed
• 1 ⅓ cups water
• 1 (16 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 1 (16 ounce) can stewed tomatoes (such as Del Monte® Stewed Tomatoes with Onions, Celery, and Green Peppers)
• ¼ cup walnut pieces
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced, white parts and tops separated
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon dried mint leaves
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 2 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds and membrane removed
• ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese

Step 1

Lightly heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with some olive oil. In a saucepan, bring water and quinoa to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Cover it and let it simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the quinoa is tender and all the water has been absorbed.

Step 2

While that's cooking, mix together the chickpeas, stewed tomatoes, walnuts, raisins, the white parts of the green onions, lemon juice, chili powder, garlic powder, mint, and cinnamon in a big bowl. Once the quinoa is ready, stir it into the mixture.

Step 3

Place the hollowed-out red pepper halves in your baking dish, open side up, and fill each one with the quinoa mixture. Pop them in the oven and bake for around 30 minutes, until the peppers are nice and tender.

Step 4

When they’re done, scoop a little of the flavorful liquid from the bottom of the dish over each pepper. Finish by topping them with a tablespoon of goat cheese and the green parts of the chopped green onions. Serve warm and enjoy!