Easy
   Gourmet Dinners

Stuffed Peppers, Americas Style

          Preparation and cooking time:  40 minutes
     I originally made these with Minute Rice, then, when I moved and could no longer get it, I switched to regular rice.  Quinoa makes it so much more interesting and adds a meatier texture to the finished peppers - thus it's 'Americas Style' for both North and South!

6oz ground beef (mince)         175gr, 6.2oz
1 medium onion          145gr, 5.1oz
2 ribs celery          100gr, 3.5oz
2 cloves garlic          8gr, .28oz
1 tbs olive oil          13.5gr, .48oz
1 tsp chili powder           2.5gr,.09oz
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce          17gr, .6oz
1 tsp dried basil
1 can whole tomatoes, chopped          425gr, 15oz
2 Tbs red wine         30gr, 1oz
1/2 cup shredded cheese           60gr, 2.1oz
1/3 cup cooked quinoa          65gr, 2.3oz
2/3 cup stock          150gr, 5.3oz
2 nicely shaped bell peppers, any color   I used yellow and green           320gr, 11.3oz
2 - 4 drops hot pepper sauce or more...

Cook quinoa in stock until done.  Put a large pot of water on high heat and bring to a boil.  Cut peppers in half the long way (try to find the best flat sides before cutting so that they will lie nicely) and remove stem end and seeds.  When water is boiling drop peppers in and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove (use tongs) and put into a baking dish that will just hold them (if possible).  Finely chop onion, celery; mince garlic.  Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Sauté chili powder for 1 minute.  Add garlic, celery and onion, sauté until tender, 5 - 7 minutes.  Add beef and sauté until cooked through breaking it up as it cooks.  Add tomatoes, wine, Worcestershire sauce, basil, hot pepper sauce and quinoa.  Remove from heat and spoon mixture into the pepper halves.  Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 400F (200C).  Remove foil and sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Bake, uncovered until cheese melts.  Serve.  Keep any extra stuffing warm and serve on the side.

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Nutrition Information               Recipe serves 2            Entire Recipe / per serving Calories:   1244 / 622 Total Carbohydrates:   104 / 52           Dietary Fiber:   22 / 11 Total Fat:   65 / 32.5          Saturated Fat:   24 / 12 Cholesterol:   190 / 95 Protein:   69 / 34.5 Calcium:   920 / 460 Sodium:    1425 / 712.5

General Technical Details and Disclaimer:

Measurements in this color are actual measurements used for calculation.  If there are no values the nutritional numbers were simply too small.

I try to be accurate, but I do not guarantee it.  I use 'grams' as the unit of weight; with an approximate conversion to ounces.

My information comes from my own digital, computerized scale and the USDA Nutrient Data Library: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search