Stuffed Red Bell Peppers.
Light, refreshing, and ultra healthy Stuffed Red Bell Peppers. This recipe is great if you’re looking for healthy lunch or dinner recipes, vegan low FODMAP recipes, or weight loss recipes.
Vegan & Low FODMAP
This recipe is 100% vegan and can easily be made low FODMAP by removing the garlic powder. I used tempeh as the protein source in the filling which, like tofu, is made from soy beans but is fermented. I have found fermented foods to be instrumental in healing my gut. Whether you have gut issues or not, I highly recommend incorporating fermented foods into your diet. They’re a natural probiotic, enhance digestion, and help to balance your gut flora which in turn massively strengthens your immune system. My favorites fermented foods & probiotic packed foods include:
- Tempeh.
- Kombucha.
- Sauerkraut.
- Kimchi.
- Cultured plant-based coconut yogurt or kefirs.
If you’re NOT on a temporary low FODMAP diet and can handle garlic, using a pinch of garlic powder will add a nice flavor undertone to the dish. Feel free to add chopped onion in with the chopped bell peppers and carrots too.
Wild Rice
I used wild rice in the filling along with tempeh. Wild rice is technically a type of grass and is more nutrient dense than traditional rice, or even brown rice. I used a wild rice blend here (wild rice mixed with brown rice) but either option works. You can also use forbidden black rice which is incredibly nutritious and has a nutty flavor. I recommend making a large batch and storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for the week. Having prepared ingredients like rice readily available is extremely convenient and fights against the urge to order delivery.
Meal Prepped Stuffed Bell Peppers
If you’re looking for healthy meals you can prep in advance, these stuffed bell peppers are perfect. Bake the bell peppers, stuff them, but instead of baking them a second time store them in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to enjoy them, bake them for 25 min at 350 degrees.
Stuffed Red Bell Peppers Process:
I recommend making the cakes and baba ganoush in advance, but you can make it all on the spot. Consequently it’ll just take a bit of time and prep. The baba ganoush lasts a week in the fridge, and the cakes last a few months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat them, pop them in the oven, air fryer, or microwave. Here’s the entire process start to finish:
- Prep your bell peppers. Carefully chop the top of the bell pepper off and use your knife to remove the center part with seeds. If your bell pepper doesn’t stand upright, evenly chop the base. Make sure not to cut too much of the base or the filling will fall through. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Utilize your scraps. Don’t throw away the caps and base of your bell peppers! Chop the edible parts (not the stem or seeds) and throw in a mixing bowl with chopped carrots. Cook both in avocado oil. If you’re NOT on a temporary low FODMAP diet, feel free to throw in diced onion and minced garlic.
- Prep your filling. Cook your wild rice. Crumble your tempeh and mix into your bell pepper and carrot mix along with your seasoning. Mix in the wild rice as soon as it’s done cooking. Finally, mix in your spinach and as soon as it starts to wild, remove the mixture from heat. Mix in the fresh cilantro.
- Stuff your red bell peppers. Evenly divide the filling into each red bell pepper and arrange on a parchment lined baking tray. Optionally top with vegan shredded cheese, thinly sliced jalapeño, and cilantro. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes and serve. If you’re meal prepping these, don’t bake them until you’re ready to eat them.
{Related Recipes: If you like this recipe you’ll love my STUFFED SPAGHETTI SQUASH and my MUNG BEAN PLANTAIN BOWL.}
Stuffed Red Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 5 red bell peppers
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 block tempeh
- 3/4 cup wild rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 cups raw spinach
- 1/2 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- shredded vegan cheese optional topping
- 1/2 cup cilantro plus extra for topping
- 1 tsp garlic powder if low FODMAP skip this ingredient
- sea salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees then wash your bell peppers well. Chop a small amount of the base of the bell pepper so that it stands upright and doesn’t tip over. Be careful not to cut too much off so that the filling falls through.
- Chop the top of the bell pepper off then carefully use your knife to cut out the seeds in the middle. Make sure not to throw away your bell pepper scraps! Arrange on a parchment lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes.
- While the bell peppers are cooking, dice the base and cap of your bell peppers (minus the stem which you can discard.) Peel and dice your carrots. Heat avocado oil on a wide frying pan then add the diced bell peppers and carrots.
- In a separate sauce pan, cook the wild rice in water.
- After about 5 minutes of cooking, add the cumin, nutritional yeast, paprika, and garlic powder. If you’re on a temporary low FODMAP diet, do NOT add the garlic as it will exacerbate symptoms.
- Crumble the block of tempeh then add into the mix. If the mixture gets too dry, add more avocado oil. Cook until the carrots are soft and the tempeh is golden brown. Mix in the wild rice and season with salt and pepper.
- Quickly add in the spinach and cook until just wilted. Turn off the heat then mix in the cilantro.
- Evenly stuff the bell peppers with the filling then top with shredded vegan cheese (optional), sliced jalapeño, and cilantro. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Eat fresh or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
