Recipe: Vegetarian Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

I came up with this recipe after scouring the web for stuffed pepper recipes that didn't include ground beef. It's delicious, relatively easy to make, and my 6-year-old loves the stuffing.

Here's what you'll need:

• Four large bell peppers, any color
• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1 bunch fresh spinach
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Here's how you make it:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, boil water in a large pot. Chop the tops off of the peppers (or cut them in half lengthwise); clean out the seeds. Boil the peppers for 5 minutes until they begin to become tender (but not too tender – you don't want them to rip when you add the stuffing!).

Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to the directions on the package and set aside.

In a skillet, heat the oil and brown the garlic. Add the onions, corn, carrot and spinach (or whatever vegetables you want to include). Cook until the vegetables begin to soften and the spinach has wilted. Add the quinoa to the skillet and stir until mixed well.

Lay the peppers out on a pan and fill them with the quinoa mixture. Top with cheese, if desired, then bake for about 20 minutes.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Do you have a recipe you want to share with other Patch readers? Email editor Cassandra Day at cassandra.day@patch.com.