Stuffed Bell Peppers

These aren't your traditional stuffed peppers with rice, ground beef or sausage; I prefer to keep these peppers on the lighter side, but still very flavorful. I felt kind of awkward stuffing a pepper with peppers...as if the pepper was cannibalistic. Anyway, the secret is to use a hearty grain, in this case cracked wheat. Cracked wheat is made from whole raw wheat kernels which are crushed or cut. I like cracked wheat because it is rich in nutrients and fiber because it is a whole grain. Similar to cracked wheat, Bulgar wheat can also be used. The difference between cracked and Bulgar wheat is that Bulgar wheat is steamed and toasted before it is crushed. Bulgar wheat also takes less time to cook because it has already been steamed. Bulgar wheat can be used if you're short on time, just adjust the cooking times in the recipe. Both cracked and Bulgar wheat can be found at the grocery store either in the cereal (by the hot cereal) or baking aisle (by the specialty flour). 

Tips:

WAIT!!!! - In the recipe I give you enough to stuff 4 peppers, when actually you will need 5 or 6 peppers total.
Pick a proper pepper - Make sure to get peppers that can stand up well in the pan.
It's a process - If you have a food processor, it can really help with this recipe, because it can chop the vegetables very fine and very fast. 
Use it - Don't simply throw the pepper tops away; if parts of the tops are usable, chop them up and toss them in the filling.

Oven Temperature: 425 degrees

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Bake Time: 25-30 minutes 

Servings: 4 peppers

2 cups hot water
1/4 cup spicy tomato juice or sauce
1 Tablespoon beef bullion granules
1 cup cracked or Bulgar wheat
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper


4 large bell peppers
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large (1/2 cup) green bell pepper, chopped  
1 medium (1/2 cup) onion, chopped
1 large (1/4 cup) carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 large (1/4 cup) red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 medium (1/4 cup) zucchini, chopped
1/2 medium (1/4 cup) yellow squash, chopped
2 teaspoons (4-5 cloves) garlic, minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 

2) In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, bring the water, tomato juice and beef granules to a boil.

3) Reduce the heat to low. Stir in cracked wheat, basil, oregano, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.

4) Cut the tops off of 4 bell peppers. Remove the seeds and ribs. Set aside.

5) In a large saute pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. 

6) Add the onions, carrot, peppers, zucchini, squash and garlic to the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

7) In a large bowl, combine the wheat and sauteed vegetables. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir until combined.

8) Take approximately 1 cup of the filling and spoon it into the prepared bell peppers. Pack the filling into the peppers; the mixture will overlap the top of the peppers.

9) Stand the filled peppers up in an 8x8 pan and cover with foil.

10) Bake the peppers for 25-30 minutes or until the pepper is fork tender.