Dinner: Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

A vegetarian version of a Mediterranean classic.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Lemon

Health benefits of Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form.

Ingredients

8 bell peppers
1 wedge of lemon juice
1/2 tbsp allspice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 dash salt
1/2 tbsp mint flakes
1 large onion, diced fine
2 medium whole tomatoes
1 cup cooked brown or wild rice

Instructions

1. Mix all of the ingredients except for the bell peppers and one tomato for covering the peppers.

2. Wash peppers and take out the top part and the seeds.

3. Stuff the peppers with the rice mix with a spoon or your hand.

4. Cut small pieces from remaining tomato to cover the top part of the peppers.

5. Press the tomato slice down a bit so that it won’t come out. (This keeps everything moist).

6. Place the stuffed peppers in an oven dish as tall as the peppers. Pour 2 cups of boiling water on top (you can add a tiny bit of bouillon cube to the water).

7. Let the peppers boil for 5 minutes on the stovetop. Then, bake it in a preheated oven at 400° F (200° C) for 35-40 minutes until rice is cooked and tops are browned. Check regularly if you don’t want to burn the tops.

8. Note: the stuffing mixture would usually include olive oil and pine nuts, so instead I sometimes cook the rice with a little vegetable or chicken broth cube and a tablespoon of tomato paste in the water; or add some diced mushrooms, eggplant or other vegetable to the mix to add even more texture or flavor.