VEGETARIAN OR NOT STUFFED CAPSICUMS

People seem to have the opinion that making stuffed capsicums is fiddly and an ordeal. I am here to smash that belief. I love making stuffed capsicums as it is an incredibly filling and nutritious meal. I often use quinoa, however brown rice works well too. The bacon is only optional and added for my fiancee's benefit. I like adding some form of lentil or legumes to the stuffing, as well as a variety of herbs (I often use fresh chives, basil, thyme and parsley) as these really bring a punch of flavour. Don't forget to add vegetables to the stuffing as well! 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium to large sized red or green capsicums
• 3/4 cup quinoa 
• Optional- 80g bacon, finely chopped
• 1 small zucchini and / or carrot, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons of a mixture of fresh herbs, finely chopped (such as chives, parsley & thyme) or 2 tablespoons dried mixed herbs
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 75g feta cheese, crumbled into small pieces
• 1 large lime, quartered 

COOKING 

1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, twice, with your hands. Bring the quinoa to boil in a medium saucepan over high heat with 1 1/2 cups of water, covered. Once boiled, lower to a simmer and continue to cook until all the water is absorbed, around 10 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, slice the top part of the capsicum off to make lids (around 3cm in thickness). Remove the seeds and membranes and discard. Heat a large saucepan over high heat of just enough water for the capsicums bottoms to be covered. Once the water has boiled add the capsicum bottoms and lids and cook for 5 minutes. Drain. 

3. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

**Optional step if using bacon - Dry fry the bacon (use no oil) for a few minutes or until cooked how you like it, stirring regularly. 

4. Add the zucchini and / or carrot, herbs, chickpeas, feta cheese and a generous pinch of ground black pepper to the cooked quinoa and mix well to combine. 

5. Stuff the capsicum bottoms with the quinoa mixture. If you have extra quinoa left over try to compact the mixture in the capsicum and add more. Place the lids next to the capsicums. Bake for around 15-20 minutes or until the filling is cooked and the feta cheese has started to melt. 

Serve warm, with lime juice drizzled on top. 

**If you have any brown rice mixture left over, add a handful of washed lettuce to this and serve separately as a salad the next day/ meal. 

Serves / 4 / 1 stuffed capsicum per person

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / max 40 minutes 

x Emily