Lentil Quinoa Stuffed Pepper Stew

One of my favorite recipes to make for work lunches is my Italian lentil quinoa stuffed peppers.  It is a rather time consuming recipe to make.  You have to boil the quinoa, the lentils, assemble the peppers and bake for 50 minutes.  Quin

I like to make this stew nice and thick so that it feels like you are eating a cut up stuffed pepper.  I leave the pieces of pepper large so they stand out in the mouth feel.  To add the final touch, top your bowl of stew with some cheese.

I have eaten the stew both ways, with and without cheese. The stew is good without the cheese, but it reminds me of a stuffed pepper more when I add it.  I also like to serve this stew with tortilla chips.  They add nice crunch, and a sweet and salty finish to eat spoonful.

Variations to the Lentil Quinoa Stuffed Pepper Stew recipe:

1. Grains: I used red quinoa.  I prefer its firmer texture over white quinoa in this dish, although anything will do.  Use whatever quinoa you have in the pantry, or try another grain such as rice.
2. Lentils: I use brown lentils, but black lentils or black beans would also work. Use cooked or canned black beans as they won’t have time to cook from dry.
3. Slow Cooker: Layer the onions, celery, and bell peppers into the bottom of a slow cooker.  Add the reminaing ingredients and cook without stiring or lifting the lid on low for 6-8 hours.  Then stir and taste test for salt.
4. Simple Swaps: Try sweet potato in place of the corn, or carrots in place of the celery.  Regular paprika or chili powder will do in place of the smoked paprika, and you could omit the red pepper flake to make your stew mild.
5. Salt: I put the salt in at the end because it can cause the lentils to be tough.  Broth also has salt, so if your lentils turn out too toothsome, try using water in place of broth next time.