This is a very filling, and versatile dish. I happen to love peppers, but my husband doesn't so that is where the stuffed zucchini idea came from. Tom loved it the first two times I made it and then got a little tired of it, so I changed it up a bit the last time by roasting the zucchini, cut into spears and tossed with a bit of olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and basil, in a 400 degree oven until tender and then serving the filling on top of that. Instead of grinding the walnuts, I smashed them into small pieces, and after the filling was cooked, I put it under the broiler for a couple minutes with the parmesan on top to melt the cheese. I also used half a block of frozen spinach, which I had steamed for about five minutes, since I was out of fresh. Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 medium red bell peppers (substituted 3 large zucchini - split in half lengthwise, hollowed out, pulp steamed and pureed with walnuts in blender,
zucchini shells treated like peppers for roasting and baking)
2 cups shredded escarole (or spinach)
8 ounces mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoon dried thyme (substituted dried basil)
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup soy/meat alternative crumbles
1/2 cup fresh-grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut about 1 1/2 inches off the top of each pepper. Remove core, seeds, and ribs. In a 9-inch-square baking dish lined with
aluminum foil invert the peppers and roast while you prepare the stuffing. They should be tender and slightly wrinkled. Remove the stems and thinly
slice the mushrooms. Thinly shred the escarole and rinse to remove any dirt. Use a salad spinner or squeeze by hand to remove excess water. Toast the
walnuts until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Process in a food processor until very finely ground and they start to cake. Set aside. In a skillet, heat oil
on medium high and add garlic. Add thyme, chili powder, mushrooms, and soy/meat alternative crumbles. Saute for about 5-10 minutes just until the mushrooms
start to release liquid. Add the escarole just until wilted, then remove from heat and mix in ground walnuts. Season to taste with salt and ground black
pepper.
Before stuffing peppers, sprinkle the inside with a couple pinches of salt and some olive oil. Stuff the peppers with the walnut stuffing and top with
the grated cheese. Bake the peppers in the top of the oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Enjoy.
Nutritional Information:
510 calories
8 g sugar
47 total fat (9 g sat, 38 g mono)
30 mg cholesterol
19 g carbohydrate
26 g protein
8 g fiber
540 mg sodium
