Peppers Stuffed with Wild Rice (Vegan)

Now, these peppers were initially going to be stuffed with hulled barley. Unfortunately, I left the pressure cooker at too high heat, and I was greeted with the smell of freshly scorched barley, and a pan that required 8 hours of soaking to clean.

So, I decided it was better for everyone if I left the grain cooking to my rice cooker, and started again, this time with brown and wild rice. I was pretty pleased with the results! This also a great recipe for whatever leftover rice you may happen to have on hand. Just make sure it totals 4 cups, or so.

Peppers Stuffed with Wild Rice
Serves 4

4 Large Bell Peppers
1/2 large red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 TB olive oil
1 1/3 cups cooked wild rice
2 2/3 cups cooked short grain brown rice
1 cup cooked or canned, drained chickpeas.
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Handful fresh parsley, chopped
2 TB balsamic vinegar
Salt
Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice the tops off the peppers. Put the tops aside, and remove the seeds and stuff from the inside of the peppers. Rinse out the peppers, and set aside.

Chop up the pepper tops, onion, and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the onion, garlic, and peppers, just until the onions are soft. Remove from heat.

In a big bowl. mix up the rices, sauteed vegetables, chick peas, parsley, sunflower seeds, and vinegar. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and salt.

Stuffing, all mixed up!

Put 1/2" of water at the bottom of an 8" square baking dish (I used my brownie dish).

Fill the peppers to overflowing with the stuffing, and shape the excess into a mound on top.

Stuffed and ready for the oven

Place peppers in the baking dish, and bake, uncovered for 30-40 minutes, 'till the top looks a little crispy, and they're hot all the way through. (Obviously, if you're using leftover refrigerated rice, it'll take longer)

Serve!