Chicken and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

I made this healthier version of the normal beef, veal, and white rice stuffed bell peppers common in Russian cuisine.

Ingredients:

- 1 Bag of assorted small peppers and 3 small green Hungarian peppers -cap and seeds removed
- 2lbs ground chicken
- 1 +1/3 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 onions chopped & separated
- 8oz canned tomato sauce
- 1cup chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp chopped dill (or herb of your choice, use more if you like)
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- cumin - to taste, I used 3 tsps
- salt - to taste, I used 1 Tblspn
- pepper - to taste, I used 3tsps

Directions:

Stuffed peppers: 

1. Saute 1 of the chopped onions until golden brown and slightly caramelized - let cool 

2. Mix raw ground chicken, cooled quinoa, cooled onions, herbs, cumin, salt and pepper well in a large bowl

3. At this point I sauted about 1 teaspoon of the mixture, until cooked, to taste check for seasoning.

4. In a large dutch oven, lightly oil to bottom and turn to a low heat.

5. use a teaspoon to stuff each pepper until filled 

6. place peppers into the pot. Lay peppers on their side. Fill up the whole pot with one later, than start on a second layer, etc.

Sauce:
1. Seperately, saute the 2nd chopped onion until golden brown
2. Ad canned tomato sauce, let heat and slightly reduce
3. Add broth and sour cream to the sauce Heat until well mixed
4. season with a pinch of salt and pepper

Mix:
-Add sauce to pot with peppers, bring to a simmer and cook, covered, on medium-low heat for 45minutes.  

Note - If you have left over stuffing - you can make them into meatballs, saute on each side for 3 min and add to the pot.

This made about 10-12 portions. To increase or decrease this recipe maintain about 1:2 ratio of quinoa to ground meat.

The peppers came out soft and sweet.  I couldn't taste the quinoa in there at all really (for those who like me, do not love the texture of quinoa on its own).

Midweek Lunch Feast

This lunch fed my mom and fiancé. 

Apple Yogurt Coffee cake, made from a post on Cupcakes and Cashmere.

Salad had grilled grape tomatoes and mushrooms, cubed mozzarella and smoke mozzarella, and basil on a bed, all on a bed of sweet baby spring mix. 

Normally I would prefer to have had fish with this dairy meal instead of sausage, but BF is scared of fish, so chicken sausage it was.