Vegan Stuffed Peppers With Lentils And Herbed Rice

Vegan Stuffed Peppers With Lentils And Herbed Rice

If you like stuffed grape leaves, you’ll love the tangy filling for these bell peppers that conjure up daydreams of vacationing on a Greek island. The savory black lentil mixture is studded with sweet raisins and infused with the Mediterranean flavors of mint and dill. The recipe calls for instant brown rice, but you can use any kind. Simply adjust the cooking time and water amounts to the directions on the package. Then get ready to dig in!

Tip: If you want to make extra stuffed peppers, you can freeze them in aluminum baking pans that go straight into the oven for reheating.

INGREDIENTS

• ¾ cup dry instant brown rice
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup cooked black (beluga) lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium zucchini (8 oz.), chopped
• ⅓ cup chopped raisins
• ½ cup chopped fresh mint
• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill or 2 tablespoons dried dill
• 6 medium orange bell peppers
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium saucepan combine rice, onion, garlic, and 2 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Stir in the next five ingredients (through dill) and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice.
2. Meanwhile, cut off pepper tops; set aside. Remove seeds and membranes from peppers. Place peppers snugly in a 4-qt. Dutch oven or a deep, lidded ovenproof pan.
3. Spoon rice mixture into peppers. Place tops on peppers, then pour the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and ¼ cup water into bottom of pot. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Serve peppers warm or at room temperature with pan juice drizzled over top.