This recipe has become a staple vegetarian dish in the Daughtrey-Kee household. All the nutrients from the veggies and the protein & carbs from the quinoa make it a perfect night-before-a-long-run meal. If you haven’t tried poblano chiles before, don’t worry. They’re not spicy.
INGREDIENTS
4 (5-inch) poblano chiles
1-1/2 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper (for more spice, use the whole jalapeño & leave the seeds in)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted pumpkin seed kernels (pepitas)
1/2 cup minced green onions
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice (last time, I only had a lemon & it worked great. just need some acidity to balance out the saltiness from the soy sauce)
2 cups tomato juice (I’ve started using salsa instead. It adds some more depth and spice if you want it)
1 cup (4 oz) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar (optional)
PREPARATION
- Preheat over to 350°.
- Cut chiles in half lengthwise; remove stems and seeds. Set aside
- Combine water & quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 13 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Set aside.
- Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add bells peppers, onion, jalapeño, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add pumpkin seed kernels; sauté 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in quinoa, green onions, cilantro, soy sauce, and lime juice.
- Spoon 1/3 cup quinoa mixture into each chile half.
- Pour tomato juice (or salsa) into a 13×9-inch baking dish; place stuffed chiles in dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over chiles; bake, uncovered, an additional 10 minutes or until cheese melts and chiles are thoroughly heated. Spoon tomato juice (salsa) over chiles. This dish works great even without the cheese, so if you want to cut the fat a little, leave it off.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Carlories 329; Fat 9.6g; Protein 20.4g; Carbs 47.9g; Fiber 7g; Sodium 787mg
The original recipe came from Cooking Light Magazine.
