a chookie chookie: hearty vegetarian stuffed peppers

I know that stuffed peppers aren't supposed to be vegetarian, but stick with me for a moment. I never really liked stuffed peppers growing up, but my husband is crazy about them. One day I came across a recipe that I figured he would like. He hasn't eaten meat in years, and was ready to have some stuffed peppers in his life again.

Well, I made these stuffed peppers (with a few healthy adaptations) and both of us were hooked! One bite in, we decided that they would be added to the regular recipe "repertoire". They're healthy, filling, and really flavorful. If you want to make them really special, use homemade mozzarella cheese...so melty and delicious!

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Recipe adapted from Cooking Healthy for Two...A Food Blog
Makes 4

Ingredients:

4 red or yellow peppers
1 cup uncooked brown rice
4 cloves of garlic
1 can (14.5 oz) diced, no salt added, tomatoes
1 medium yellow onion
2 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
olive oil

Start by cooking the brown rice according the package instructions. In the mean time, boil a big pot of water. Remove the tops of the peppers and clean out the white membrane and seeds. Boil the peppers in the big pot of water for about 5 minutes (to soften the pepper, adjust time depending on how soft/crispy you'd like them). Carefully remove the peppers with tongs, emptying the water from them. Add a little water to coat the bottom of an 8 x 8 pan and place the peppers in the pan. Dice (or use a small food processor to cut up) the onion. Saute the onion in a large pan with some olive oil. Again, finely dice (or use a food processor on) the garlic. Add the garlic to the onions. Also, drain the can of tomatoes and add the tomatoes to the onion/garlic mixture. Allow these ingredients to soften for a few minutes on low-medium heat. Place the finished rice in a large bowl. Add the parsley and onion mixture. Cut the mozzarella cheese into small cubes and add to the mixture. Combine all of the ingredients well. Spoon the mixture into the peppers. Pack the filling in and fill them to the top. If you have any extra filling, it's delicious even without a pepper! Bake the peppers for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees. Enjoy warm!