Chickpea And Couscous Stuffed Red Bell Peppers Food

CHICKPEA AND COUSCOUS STUFFED RED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 ºF.
• Prepare the bell peppers by cutting them in half, cutting around the stem to leave it intact on one side. Remove all seeds and white pith. Place them cut side up on an oiled baking tray.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until softened and juicy. Pour out any juice that's collected inside the peppers, but you don't have to be too fussy about this, it's flavorful!
• Meanwhile, cook the couscous. Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the couscous and toast in the dry pan for 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly, until lightly browned. Add the water and teaspoon of salt. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 18-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat.
• While the couscous is cooking, prepare the rest of the filling. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent.
• Add the collard greens to the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until collards are wilted and tender, around 5 minutes. Add the cooked couscous, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat through for about 1 minute, then remove from heat and add the fresh squeezed lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
• In a blender add all the ingredients. Blend until smooth. Add a tablespoon more of water if needed.
• Scoop the prepared couscous mixture into the roasted bell peppers to fill. Pour sauce over top to cover. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden.
• Remove from oven and serve hot.

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.

MOROCCAN CHICKPEA AND COUSCOUS STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Arrange halves in a 9-inch pie plate. Cover with heavy-duty plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Return peppers to pie plate.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes.
• Add the cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon, and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in chickpeas and broth; bring to a boil. Stir in couscous; remove from heat.
• Cover and let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in 6 tablespoons cheese and 1 tablespoon mint.
• Divide couscous mixture evenly among pepper halves. Top each pepper half with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 3/4 teaspoon mint, and 1 1/2 teaspoons chutney.

COUSCOUS-STUFFED RED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cook couscous in water as directed on box omitting oil; cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, in 8-inch square (2-quart) microwavable dish, arrange bell pepper halves; add 2 tablespoons water. Cover with microwavable waxed paper. Microwave on High 3 to 4 minutes or just until crisp-tender.
• Stir spinach and cheese into couscous. Spoon mixture into pepper halves.

COUSCOUS AND FETA STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan, add the couscous, cover the pan and remove it from the heat. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the stems and top half inch off the bell peppers and scoop out the seeds and membranes. Boil trimmed peppers for 5 minutes, then drain them upside down. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, zucchini, yellow squash, fennel seeds, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes and chickpeas. Using a fork, scrape the couscous into the skillet and toss with the vegetables. Stir in the crumbled feta. Place peppers upright in the baking dish and fill them with couscous. Bake 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

COUSCOUS STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/gas mark 4.
• Place couscous in a shallow dish and cover with 300ml of boiling water; cover the dish with clingfilm and set aside for 5 minutes.
• Cut 'lids' off the tops off the peppers and scrape the seeds out from inside; place the peppers and their lids in a large saucepan and cover with boiling water; cook the peppers for 5 minutes, drain and set aside to cool.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the cumin seeds, coriander and cayenne pepper and fry for a few seconds before adding the onion and garlic; fry gently for 3-5 minutes until the onion is transparent.
• Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and green beans, stir to mix and fry for a further 2-3 minutes; stir in the couscous and remove from the heat.
• Stand the peppers up in a shallow dish, fill the pepper cavities with couscous mix, put on their lids; bake for about 35-40 minutes.

CHICKPEA STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat a wide heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil and heat for 10 seconds or so, then add the onion and fry, stirring occasionally, until well-softened.
• Tip in the spinach, sprinkle over the curry powder, raise the heat and stir, toss and fry until the liquid has mostly cooked out of the spinach and it is collapsed but still moist. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the garlic, tomatoes, vegetable or tomato puree, breadcrumbs, chickpeas and peppers.
• Season with salt and black pepper and mix well; it should be reasonably moist but not dripping. Stuff the filling firmly into the pepper halves, mounding up on top.
• Bake in a low-sided dish at 400F for about an hour, turning the dish around once and lowering the heat towards the end if the peppers are getting too browned. This length of time makes the peppers deliciously soft - if you like them firmer, reduce the time.

CHICKPEA COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine chickpeas, raisins, oil, 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper; bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, and cover pot; remove from heat. Set aside (5 minutes). Fluff couscous gently with a fork before serving.

CRISPY SPICED CHICKPEAS WITH PEPPERS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees and arrange racks on the top and bottom thirds of the oven.
• In a large bowl, toss chickpeas with 2 tablespoons oil, the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly coated. Spread onto a rimmed sheet pan in a single layer and top with 3 thyme sprigs.
• On a second sheet pan, combine bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, jalapeños and remaining thyme sprigs with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread vegetables into one layer.
• Place chickpea pan on the bottom rack and vegetables on the top rack and roast for 10 minutes. Switch pan positions. Roast chickpeas until crisped but still tender, about 5 minutes, and roast vegetables until golden brown, about 10 minutes. If the vegetables are tender but not browned, place the pan under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes to caramelize. Discard thyme sprigs.
• While the chickpeas and vegetables roast, whisk lemon juice, garlic and remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl. Season with salt to taste.
• Arrange vegetables on a large platter and drizzle with half the dressing, then top with crispy chickpeas, fresh herbs and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle remaining dressing over everything. Serve with couscous or rice, if you like.