Couscous Fresh Herb Stuffed Peppers Recipes

HEALTHY VEGETABLE AND COUSCOUS STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut off the very tops of the peppers. Remove and discard the ribs and seeds and set the peppers aside.
• Drain the tomatoes in a colander set over a medium bowl. Reserve the juice and set the tomatoes aside over a plate to catch any residual juices. Stir the couscous, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper into the tomato juice and set aside while preparing the filling.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, zucchini, half the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high, stir in the couscous mixture and simmer rapidly, stirring frequently, until the couscous is just al dente and the liquid is beginning to thicken, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook, adjusting the heat if necessary, until the leaves are bright green and just beginning to wilt, about 30 seconds. Set the filling aside to cool slightly.
• To make the sauce, combine the remaining garlic and olive oil in a Dutch oven, add the chile flakes if using and stir to combine. Place the pot over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally at first then more frequently as the oil starts to sizzle to prevent the garlic from burning, until the garlic starts to stick to the edge of the spoon and is just beginning to turn a very pale straw color, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the reserved drained tomatoes plus any accumulated juices, 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture just begins to come together and thicken, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Fold the feta and basil into the couscous filling. Fill a pepper with about 3/4 cup of the filling, scooping it in loosely and shaking the pepper to level the filling rather than packing it down. Nestle the filled pepper in the sauce in the pot, then repeat with the remaining peppers, propping them up against each other and the sides of the pot for stability during baking.
• Cover the pot and bake until the peppers are tender but not mushy and the sauce is bubbling, 45 to 60 minutes. Check after 45 minutes to see if the peppers are tender but not soft or they will be overcooked and mushy. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with a generous scoop of the tomato sauce.

COUSCOUS-STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan and stir in the couscous. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Peel the onion and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Cut the ends of the stems off the mushrooms and thinly slice. Peel the carrot and cut into 1/4-inch cubes.
• Generously coat a sauté pan with cooking spray and add the onion, mushrooms, and carrot. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft. Remove from the heat, add the couscous and peas, and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove and discard the seeds. Place the peppers in a baking pan, trimming the bottoms, if necessary, to make them stand up. Fill the peppers with the couscous mixture and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the peppers are soft. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
• At first glance mushrooms seem rather insignificant nutritionally. In fact, the only numbers on the nutrition labels that aren't zeros are 20 calories and 3 grams of carbs. But, if you dig a little further you will find that they are actually an excellent source of selenium, a mineral that works closely with vitamin E to produce antioxidants that can decrease the risk of cancer and other diseases of aging. They also contain a significant amount of potassium, which helps maintain normal heart rhythm, fluid balance, muscle, and nerve function. And all this time I just thought they tasted good.

COUSCOUS & FRESH HERB STUFFED PEPPERS RECIPE

Steps:

• To blanch the peppers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add peppers and cook for 3 minutes. Drain well. Place peppers upright in a 9-inch baking dish. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• In a large bowl, combine couscous, peas, ½ cup Feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, cumin and red pepper flakes. Mix well and divide filling among peppers. Top with ¼ cup crumbled Feta cheese and bake for 20 minutes to heat through.