Recipe corner: Stuffed peppers

Brighten up your dinner plate with these colourful stuffed peppers! Packed with quinoa, black beans, and plenty of veggies, each serving delivers a satisfying 17.6g of protein and nearly 11g of fibre. They’re hearty, nourishing, and just the kind of wholesome weeknight favourite that keeps both your taste buds and your body happy.

Serving size: 4

Prep. time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

Ingredients list:

• 4 large bell peppers (any colour)

• 1 cup cooked quinoa or rice

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 can diced tomatoes

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon chilli powder

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Slice the tops off your bell peppers, scoop out the seeds and membranes, then brush the outsides with a little olive oil. Pop them upright into a baking dish and set aside while you prep the filling

2. In a skillet, heat the rest of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until it softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic for another minute until it smells amazing.

3. Add the quinoa or rice, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes (juices included), and all the spices: cumin, chilli powder, smoked paprika, plus a little salt and pepper. Give it a good stir and let it cook for 5–7 minutes so all the flavours blend together. Take it off the heat and fold in half the cheddar and the cilantro.

4. Fill each pepper generously with the quinoa–veg mix, packing it in firmly. Place them back in the baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes.

5. Remove the foil, sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top, and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese is perfectly melted and bubbling.

6. Let them cool for just a few minutes, then top with extra cilantro if you like. Serve warm, dig in, and enjoy your colourful, nourishing stuffed peppers!

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Macro tracking

Calories	~405
Protein	17.6g
Carbohydrates	46.3g
Fat	18.1g
Fibre	10.9g