Stuffed Peppers - Vegan and Gluten Free

Stuffed peppers are impressive to serve, easy to make, and taste divine. Looking to eat less meat?  This vegan recipe will make a filling side dish ( Thanksgiving??) or you can turn it into a meal by adding the optional walnuts and or chickpeas. All of the ingredients that I use are naturally gluten-free too. 

I was happy to find four beautiful large sweet red peppers at a reasonable price. 

I simply cleaned, washed, and sliced the peppers lengthwise and then made the filling separately, added it to the peppers, and cooked the peppers once they were filled. 

When the filling was done cooking, I filled the pepper halves and cooked everything in a dutch oven pot until the peppers became soft.

Stuffed peppers are always a treat. They are both appealing and delicious.

My mom frequently made stuffed peppers when I was growing up. We lived in New Jersey where farmer's markets were plentiful and locally grown summer produce was cheap. 

I remember the farmer's market in Trenton, NJ. There were about 20 farmers who brought their fare to the market every weekend from all over the state. We were able to get baskets of local tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and  eggplant at a very reasonable price.

The (link) Trenton Farmer's Market is still operating today on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the summer and maybe winter too. It's expanded from strictly produce. The prices have gone up significantly, but the produce is always fresh and local.

Here is a write up From the Trenton Farmer's Market Website: 

"New Jersey's oldest continuously running farmers market!"

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• "A farmer-owned cooperative since 1939, and located on Spruce Street in Lawrence since 1948, the Trenton Farmers Market is a beloved farmers market filled with a wide selection of Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables, a smoke shop, Amish meats and poultry, a Polish deli, kielbasa, artisan cheese, baked goods, BBQ, rotisserie chicken, vegan selections, clothing, jewelry, handbags, home goods, essential and CBD oils, hand crafted soaps and body care, vintage sports jerseys, sweets and nuts, donuts, local wine, plus an Amish grocery store.ddddddddd

Stuffed Peppers 

Ingredients:

4 large bell peppers of your choice (red, green, yellow, or orange)

1.5 cups white or brown rice, washed and soaked for 20 minutes

1 tablespoon of organic raisins, soaked for 20 minutes (save water)

1 and 1/2  cup of chopped yellow onions

2 cups of chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)

1 cup of sliced mushrooms (any)

2 tbsp tomato paste

Juice of 1 lemon, divided

1 cup vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of onion powder

1/2 teaspoon (or more to taste) of thyme

Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Optional: 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts and or 1 cup of cooked chick peas.

Add onions to a large rimmed skillet and turn heat to medium. Sauté (without oil) for about 3 minutes stirring to prevent burning. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, raisins with water, and juice of half the lemon. Sauté on a medium-low heat for about 5 minutes stirring and to reduce some liquid. Add rice and seasoning, stir to coat rice completely. Add vegetable broth and cook for about 5 minutes covered on a low flame. Fill each pepper half with filling and transfer to a Dutch Oven type of pan. Add water and squeeze juice of the other half of the lemon over the peppers. Cover and cook on low for about 20 minutes until rice is soft.

Thinking about Thanksgiving? 4 best Thanksgiving side dishes 

See my post for my (link)  4 best Thanksgiving side dishes  (ratatouille, quinoa and mushroom stuffing, cranberry chutney, and spinach pecan/or seed casserole) 4 Thanksgiving side dishes

My Notes: 

1. Taste the filling before stuffing the peppers and adjust seasoning to taste. 

2.  My mom used to like to eat the stuffed peppers with some warmed up sauerkraut which she warmed up in the Dutch oven with the peppers. 

3. We sometimes pierce the pepper with a fork in a few places to allow the flavors to mingle with the cooking juice while cooking. 

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