Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa , rinsed and drained
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion , diced
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 zucchini , diced
• 1 small eggplant , diced
• 1 tomato , diced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 6 bells peppers , tops cut off and seeded
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese , or more to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a deep baking dish with aluminum foil.

2. 2

   Mix quinoa and water together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until fragrant and slightly translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add zucchini, eggplant, and tomato; cook until slightly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir tomato sauce into vegetable mixture; cover and simmer until vegetables have softened, about 10 more minutes.

4. 4

   Stir quinoa into vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Fill bell peppers with quinoa-vegetable mixture. Place peppers in prepared baking dish. Cover dish with aluminum foil.

5. 5

   Bake in the preheated oven until bell peppers are slightly tender, about 18 minutes. Remove aluminum foil cover; sprinkle peppers with mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is bubbling and melted, about 5 more minutes.