This is a unique and inviting twist on a traditional recipe. The tanginess of the cheese and salty olives combined with the filling lentils and quinoa makes this a delicious and very hearty meal. The whipped tahini garnish lends a creamy texture to blend all the flavors perfectly. You can also make these in the oven with a deep oven-safe pan, covered with aluminum foil (at 350 degrees for approximately 30 min. in a conventional oven). The number of peppers you may want to use will be determined by the size of your slow cooker and/or your family size. Our slow cooker is on the small side, so we only used 4 peppers but we do enjoy eating the extra filling on the side. I know you are going to love these peppers, we sure do.
Ingredients:
4-6 Bell Peppers
1 Cup Quinoa, cooked
1 Cup Lentils, cooked
1 Red Onion
2 Celery Stalks
10 White Mushrooms
1 Can (10-15oz.) Fire Roasted tomatoes
1 8oz Package Frozen Spinach, thawed
Kalamata Olives pitted and halved
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Garlic powder
1 Tbsp Dried Rosemary
1 Tbsp Coriander Power
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Chili Powder
¼ Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
½ Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
Parsley for garnish
Whipped Tahini for Drizzle
- Wash and finely chop onions, celery and mushrooms. Wash and cut off the tops of the peppers set them aside for later use. Core the peppers. Cook the quinoa and lentils as per the directions on their packages.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions and celery until onions become translucent and fragrant about 3 minutes.
- Drain the liquid from the roasted tomatoes and remove excess liquid from the frozen spinach by squeezing it between paper towels. Add the spinach and tomatoes as well as the mushrooms to the skillet. Stir in and cook for 3 more minutes until well combined. Add spices and cook for an additional minute stirring constantly.
- Add the cooked quinoa and lentils to the skillet and stir to combine. When it is well incorporated, add the olives, pine nuts and feta.
- In a slow cooker stand your empty bell peppers up so they fill the space and support themselves. Fill the peppers one by one leaving room in the slow cooker for the pepper tops to fit with the lid securely on the slow cooker.
- Fill the bottom of the slow cooker between the peppers with 1 cup of water.
- Cook on low for 4 fours or high for 2 hours. Garnish with parsley and whipped tahini to serve.
