These Cajun Stuffed Peppers are ridiculously delicious. They are so hearty and just jam-packed with good things, such as quinoa, brown rice, kale, tomatoes, onions, and (of course) green peppers. It almost sounds like there might be too many healthy ingredients assigned to one dish and that flavor might be a little lacking, but we assure you that this couldn’t be further from the truth. There is only 1/4 pound of andouille sausage in these for that cajun flare, so you can feel good about feeding your family only a small amount of meat here. Oh, and the prep time is only like 5 minutes! Give these a try the next time you’re up for serving the ones you love something fabulously different, but oh, so satisfying.
Tips (unsponsored): If you don’t eat much quinoa or brown rice, you can buy just the amount you need for this recipe in the bulk section of Sprouts. This will eliminate bags of half-used grains going stale and wasting in your pantry. This is also true for spices.
Let your kids tear some kale and run their (clean) fingers through the grains – this is such a fun sensory experience for them! As you prepare and enjoy these stuffed peppers with your loved ones, teach them a few things about the nutrients they are feeding their bodies:
- Quinoa provides you with more and better protein than other grains.
- Kale contains lots of fiber, which is important for a healthy liver.
- Green peppers offer important vitamins that help to keep you from getting sick, like vitamins C and E.
Let’s learn a few things about the Cajuns:
- The word “Cajuns” is probably just the mispronunciation of the word “Acadiens” (migrants from Canada to Louisiana).
- So much of the Cajun lifestyle did and continues to revolve around the Roman Catholic religion.
- Cajun food is largely influenced by the crops available close to home, such as rice, peppers, shrimp and crawfish.
Adapted slightly from: Cajun Stuffed Peppers
- 1 cup long-grain brown rice
- ⅓ cup quinoa
- 2 large green bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ¼ pound andouille sausage, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Large pinch of allspice (optional)
- Kosher salt
- 1 14 -ounce can low-sodium diced tomatoes
- 1 c chicken STOCK
- 1 small bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped small
- Chopped fresh parsley, for topping (optional)
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil; add the brown rice and boil 10 minutes. Stir in the quinoa and cook until both grains are tender, about 15 more minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- Meanwhile, drizzle the bell peppers with 1 tablespoon water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave 10-11 minutes.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, garlic, thyme, allspice and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the sausage is brown and crisp, about 3 more minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and STOCK to the pan. Pile the kale on top, cover and cook until the kale wilts, about 2 minutes. Stir the kale into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Arrange the bell peppers on top, cover and simmer until the kale is just tender, about 8 minutes.
- Divide the peppers among plates. Stir the grains into the kale mixture and season with salt. Spoon into the peppers. Top with parsley.
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