Basic Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

I'm not a big pepper person. I don't hate them, but I don't really think about them very much either. But what do you do when farm box brings you two perfectly lovely peppers? You stuff them, that's what. Here's a basic, completely non-spicy vegan stuffed pepper recipe. If you wanted to jazz these up a bit, you could add onion and garlic to the veggies and about 1/2 tbl. of chili powder or so. Really, you can stuff them with anything on hand (LCBF requested that cheddar cheese be involved next time). Jumping off point after the jump:
Basic Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Yield: 2 stuffed peppers
2 bell peppers
~6 oz. red kidney beans
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 small carrot
juice of 1/2 a lemon
~4 tbl. olive oil
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Rinse and cook quinoa according to package directions (or add 1 c. water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed--about 20 minutes). While quinoa is cooking, prepare vegetables.

Wash and cut tops off of the peppers. Scrape out the seeds. There should be a little bit of pepper flesh around the stem--cut into small pieces and set aside. Peel carrot and cut into small pieces. Lightly brush outside of peppers with olive oil and set in baking dish.

Add a couple tbl. of olive oil in a pan and cook carrots and peppers (and onion and garlic, if desired) until tender--8-10 min.

While vegetables are cooking, mix together a couple tbl. of olive oil, juice from 1/2 a lemon, and salt & pepper and set aside.

When quinoa is done mix in olive oil/lemon juice mixture. Add vegetables and beans and mix everything together. Add salt & pepper (and any other spices you like). Divide mixture and stuff it in the peppers.

You've got to stuff it. Stuff it good.

Roast stuffed peppers until tender--about 30 minutes. If you want a nice char on the outside, you can hold them (with tongs!) over a gas burner prior to stuffing them.

Ready to eat!

So it's Thanksgiving week . . . which means absolutely nothing in Germany! We're having an ex-pat T'giving dinner despite this fact however, so I'm anticipating an epic Vegetarian (Vegan?) Thanksgiving post this weekend. Will LCBF give seitan another chance? Can one make cornbread in a bundt pan and apple pie in a quiche dish? What all can be stuffed inside a pumpkin? Most importantly, how to manage dinner for a crowd with this oven:

(Hint: it involves potluck). Stay tuned . . .