Chickpea + Tomato Stuffed Peppers

Rena Williams ·

Coming up with new (and exciting) ideas to get more veggies on your plate can feel a little, well, boring. 

 

One of the biggest worries is will I feel full without meat?

 

In a word, yes.

 

You’ll feel lighter too.

 

Digesting meat, (especially red) is more work for your body than veggies. You’ll feel energized after dinner with this lighter, plant rich meal. 

 

So give your body a bit of a breather. 

 

This recipe is filling. Serve it with a side salad, your favourite grain or steamed veggies and you have a complete meal. 

 

It’s also protein rich with the chickpeas, walnuts and feta.

 

And the best part?! The stuffing can be made ahead of time, so it's ready to go when you get home from work. #tooeasy 

 

Chickpea + Tomato Stuffed Peppers
serves 3 to 4 as a main

 

4 bell peppers, halved with seeds removed

300 grams (or a 19 oz can) cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained

110 grams (1 cup) crimini mushrooms, chopped

260 grams (2 cups) grape tomatoes, diced

1/3 of medium sized onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

3/4 tsp Spanish paprika

1/2 tsp coriander, ground

1/4 tsp cumin, ground

1/4 tsp fennel seeds, ground

1/2 tsp Himalayan rock salt, ground

generous grinding of black pepper

2 oz (1/2 cup) crumbled goat or sheep feta cheese (optional)

1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

 

How to:

  • Preheat oven to 350F
  • With a sharp knife, roughly chop chickpeas, breaking them down a bit. (You can also use a food processor, pulsing about 3 or 4 times.) Transfer to a mixing bowl. 
  • In a medium skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add in mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. 
  • Stir in paprika, fennel, cumin and coriander. Continue to cook for another 3 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, stir in tomatoes, onion, garlic, 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper to chickpeas. Add in seasoned mushrooms. Stir until it all comes together well. 
  • Place peppers on a baking sheet. Brush the remaining 1/2 Tbsp olive oil on the bottoms of each cavity to keep them from sticking to the pan. 
  • Fill each cavity with chickpea stuffing, pressing down gently.
  • Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until stuffing starts to brown and the skin of the peppers looks softened. 
  • Let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with feta cheese and walnuts. 

Tip: To make this nut-free, use chopped pumpkin seeds in place of walnuts. 

 

Now I’d love to hear from you. What’s one of your favourite meatless dishes? Share with me in the comments below.