Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

Serving size:  1 stuffed pepper

229 Calories 0.65 g Fat 0 mg Cholesterol
50.2 mg Carbs 5.8 g Protein 45.0 mg Sodium
8 large Bell peppers, preferably red
2 1/2 c. Vegetable broth, homemade or store-bought
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1 c. Mushrooms, diced
1/2 c. Onion, finely diced
1/2 c. Celery, finely diced
2 c. Basmati rice
1/2 c. Canned diced tomatoes
1 tsp. Cumin seed
1 c. Green peas, fresh or frozen
Make "caps" for each pepper by slicing about 1/3 inch off the top of each one.  Set the caps aside.  Carefully remove the seeds and white ribs inside each pepper.  Boil the peppers in a large pot of salted water until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.  Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking.  When cool, drain again and pat dry.
Bring the broth to a simmer in a large saucepan.  Add salt, pepper, mushrooms, onion, and celery.  Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.  Add rice, tomatoes, and cumin.  Return to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to lowest setting, and cook 18 minutes.  Uncover and put peas on top; do not stir in.  Cover pot again, remove from heat, and let stand 7 minutes to allow peas to cook through.  Transfer mixture to a large bowl and fluff with a fork.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Divide the stuffing evenly among the peppers; you should have about 1 cup stuffing for each pepper.  Top with lids.  Arrange them in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish; if they don't want to "stand," lay them gently on their sides.  Bake,  uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until peppers are hot throughout.  Serve with Black Bean Sauce.
From:  Everyday Cooking with Dr. Dean Ornish