Mexican Stuffed Peppers

I love stuffed peppers, but most of the time they are way too heavy for me-especially in the summer. This recipe is great because they are totally vegetarian, they are super healthy, and they have a very unique flavor that you don't necessarily expect from stuffed peppers. These are not your Mom's stuffed peppers, that's for sure (although my Mom has made this recipe and enjoyed it thoroughly) Vegetarians and carnivores alike will love this hearty, protein-filled meal. Like many of my other posts, this one is from Simply In Season which is one of my absolute favorite cookbooks. If you like to find unique ways to use in season produce, this book is a must-have. Sorry for the shameless plug, but I could not live without this cookbook!

What you will need:
4 green, red, orange, or yellow bell peppers (I used 2 red, 1 orange, and one yellow just for visual appeal)
1/3 Cup chopped onion
1 jalapeno pepper (minced after seeds removed)-I left this out because I have very low tolerance for spice, I am sure it adds some good flavor if you like a kick though!
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Cups chopped tomatoes
2 Tblsp chopped, fresh parsley
1 Tblsp Fresh oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
2 Cups corn
1.5 Cups cooked black beans
1/4 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (please don't try to substitute the kind from the can. I beg you, it is just not the same)

What you need to do:

I suggest that you prepare all vegetables (rinse/cut/drain/etc) at the beginning, that way they are all ready to go when you need them.

























As you can see, I used canned corn and canned black beans. It's okay to use convenience foods sometimes.

Cut Peppers 1/2 inch from the top and discard stem and seeds



















Steam whole peppers in 1 inch of boiling water until tender. This will take about 5 minutes. Remove peppers from water and set aside.





















In a large skillet saute onion and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, jalapeno, parsley, oregano, cumin, salt and bay leaf and cook for about five minutes, until everything is tender.

Add the corn and black beans and simmer for 10 more minutes.. Place peppers in an oven-proof baking dish so that they are standing upright. Stuff with filling and add extra filling around the side or in between the peppers. The extra filling makes a great dip for tortilla chips! Cover with grated Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.


















mmmm....mmmmmm...mmmmmmmmmmmm.
*adapted from Simply In Season Pg 130. Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert