Eve Overland’s Signature Recipe: Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 1 ½ hrs
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 4 bell peppers, assorted colors
• 1 green onion
  1 can of tomato sauce
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 small can of diced green chilis
• 1 ½ cups of cooked rice
• ½ cup of corn kernels
• 1 can of mixed black, pinto, and kidney beans
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime juice (around ½ a lime)
• 1 cup of reduced fat cheese blend
• ½ cup black olives
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning
• Jane’s Krazy Mixed-Up Salt
• ½ a packet of taco seasoning
• Garnishes (avocado, non-fat Greek yogurt, sour cream, and pico de gallo)

Note: I’m using salt seasonings—sodium is an essential nutrient, and your body cannot function properly without it—but it may not be your jam if you are trying to limit salt intake.

In true Eve fashion, I do not typically follow directions.  Don’t get me wrong—I follow rules, but let’s just say I’ve been marching to my own drum for 44 years, and that applies to recipes!

If I see something that looks interesting, I will follow it loosely, taking artistic license to a whole new level.  I pretty much just wing it in the kitchen, and it usually turns out well!

Don’t worry. If you ever invited me to a party at your home, I would only sign up for crudités. However, when not responsible for simple knife cuts and store-bought blue cheese dressing, I attribute my relative success to faithfully watching The Food Network for over a decade.

Here’s an example of how I skewed a familiar recipe to make it my own:

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spray a coat of olive oil in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
   

2. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.  Place the peppers cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
   
   
3. Spray a little oil on the peppers (make them shiny enough to check your eye makeup in!). Season with salt and pepper or whatever your seasoning of choice is. 
   
   Just rub them all around and make sure the seasoning is equally distributed.
   
   
4. Put them in the oven until they have a nice brown on top.
   
   
5. Heat some oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add the green onion, garlic, and salt, and cook until translucent.
   
   
6. Then add the canned tomatoes, chilis (and their juices), and spices, and simmer for about 5 minutes until the flavors came together.
   
   
7. Throw in the rice, corn, and beans, and mix it all up. Cook for another 5 minutes. 
   
   
8. Remove from the heat and put it into a big bowl. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Add more taco seasoning and salt.
   
   
9. Place the cooked peppers cut-side up in the baking dish, and fill with the rice mixture.
   
   I spackle the peppers like I’m filling holes in the walls of my freshman room dorm to get my deposit back…
   
   
10. Pour tomato sauce over the whole lot and put it in the oven uncovered. Bake for around 45 minutes.
    
    By the time I get done with my nightly ritual of True Crime Podcasts and cleaning, it’s time to wash my hands and pull the red mess out of the oven.
    
    
11.  Take the peppers out of the oven. Throw on some shredded cheese and a couple handfuls of black olives on top.
    
    I do not “sprinkle” cheese, but rather unleash a monsoon or hailstorm of shredded cheese on the peppers. When it comes to cheese, I never follow directions—just put as much as you want to, in my opinion. If all else fails, put enough cheese on anything and it will turn out delicious!
    
    
12. Then put them back into the oven to cook for another 10 minutes.
    
    This is just long enough to watch ½ of an episode of Holy Moly (this silly mini golf TV show that makes me rethink my career path and life choices).
    
    
13. Pull out of the oven and let cool for a hot second. Dollop with Greek yogurt, sour cream, pico, avocado, or whatever else you have that sounds good.
    
    
    – fin!

Eve’s Tip

This is the perfect messy recipe to squeeze in while you’re doing your nightly ritual. I prep the peppers after a run, then once I place the dish in the oven I’ll just leave it to do some cleaning and listen to true crime podcasts.

Enjoy with an episode of a silly tv show without judging your choices on television entertainment or food presentation. No matter what… they are awesome!