I’m shouting it from the rooftops: I’m in love with quinoa! Actually, let me rephrase: I’m in love with quinoa again! Two years ago I made my first batch of quinoa and was hooked. It is easier and faster to cook than rice, naturally gluten-free, and quinoa is the only grain that is a complete protein. What does that mean? It means that even by itself, quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids necessary for our protein needs. SCORE!

Sadly, I wasn’t the only one who fell in love with this superfood. Before I knew it, quinoa prices were rising, and I was constantly finding the quinoa bin empty at my local health food store. Sigh. So quinoa and I took a much needed break.

Recently, on my weekly Costco trip, I noticed that my former love was fully stocked and in bulk size. I knew it was time to reconcile. Since then, quinoa and I have been inseparable. With the addition of the black beans and salsa, this stuffed peppers recipe takes on a southwestern flair. Feel free to add in hot sauce if you want more of a kick!

Ingredients:
– 3 Bell Peppers
– 1/2 onion, diced
– 1 cup cooked quinoa
– 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
– 1 cup salsa
*Optional – 3 TBLS shredded cheese (I used Daiya vegan shreds)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the top off the bell peppers and remove seeds inside.
2. Spray a large pan with nonstick spray, or add in 1 TBLS oil. Saute diced onions on medium-high heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Turn heat down to medium, and add in quinoa, black beans, and salsa. Stir together and heat for 5 minutes.
4. Remove quinoa/black bean mixture from heat, and stuff into bell peppers.
*Optional: Top each pepper with 1 TBLS cheese. Place stuffed peppers into baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with extra salsa and top with chopped tomatoes and cilantro if desired. Enjoy!

*This post was originally published on www.jessicalaurendebry.com. For more from Jessica, be sure to visit her site here.