Stuffed Pepper Recipe

Here's a healthy stuffed pepper recipe...

Sweet peppers are packed with garlic, onion, mushroom and herb-flavored basmati rice and red lentils.

A crisp green side-salad would make this a simple vegetarian meal.

For this stuffed peppers recipe you will need:

2 pounds of sweet red or green peppers (about 4 small)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups mushrooms, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste

1/3 cup basmati rice

1/4 cup red lentils

1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, shredded

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

Slice tops off peppers; core and scrape out seeds.

Place peppers, cut side up, in 8-inch square glass baking dish.

Discarding stems, dice tops of peppers.

In large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat; fry onion and garlic until onion is slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

Add mushrooms, diced pepper-tops and salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring, until liquid is evaporated, about 6 minutes.

Add rice, lentils and 1 cup water; bring to boil.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer until rice and lentils are tender and mixture is wet but not saucy, about 20 minutes.

Scrape into bowl and let cool slightly.

Toss cheese, lemon juice, oregano, and parsley (reserve some for garnish) with rice mixture.

Spoon mixture into peppers; drizzle with remaining oil and top with tomatoes.

Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.

Cover with foil; bake in 350°F oven until peppers are almost tender, about 1 hour.

Uncover; bake until tops are crusty, about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

There are 4 servings of these rice stuffed peppers.