I am all about making easy suppers with enough left over for a second meal. Planning for leftovers is the most efficient way (for me) to ensure that I am always prepared with a satisfying meal after a long day, or on days where I’m just feeling too wiped to cook. The effort it takes to double a recipe feels almost the same as it does to just cook enough for 1 meal - definitely worth it!
This recipe is super versatile and can be altered to suit almost any dietary preferences. The quantities are very vague here, because the amount of ingredients really depends on how much you’re making. I have done these in the oven, and on the barbecue, and both have turned out great. Leave a note in the comments below and let me know what you think!
Ingredients
4-6 bell peppers, any colour, halved
protein of your choice (i.e ground meat, tempeh, quinoa, crumbled tofu, shredded chicken, etc)
2-4 cups passatta, or tomato sauce (possibly more, especially if using quinoa as your protein)
1 tbsp oil (I typically use avocado oil here, as it has a mild flavor and a higher smoke point than olive oil)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
finely diced veggies of your choice (I used mushrooms and zucchini this time, and often add a handful of spinach)
1-2 tsp each of onion powder, garlic powder, and dried basil
1/2 tsp sea salt
shredded cheese (or nutritional yeast and/or non-dairy shreds)
salt and pepper to taste
My food prep does not look this pretty in real life.
Start by thoroughly washing your peppers, and cutting them lengthwise in half. Set aside. Depending on your protein choice, you may want to start cooking your protein right away. Cook protein using your favourite suitable method (for example, ground meat in a fry pan, quinoa cooked like rice, etc).
Meanwhile, heat oil into medium large saucepan. Add the garlic, stirring continuously, for 30-60 seconds, or until fragrant. Add diced veggies and cook until soft (the cooking time will vary greatly, depending on what you’re cooking!) Pour in sauce, adjusting temperature to avoid burning. Add garlic and onion powder, as well as basil and salt, and nutritional yeast, if using. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Let simmer for a few minutes before adding in protein and spinach, if using, and cook until spinach is wilted (or you run out of patience!)
Spoon sauce into pepper halves, and top with cheese or non-dairy shreds, if desired. If using oven method, bake peppers at 350 degrees in a glass baking dish (again, size depends on how many peppers you decide to make). Pour 1-2 cups water into bottom of dish, and cover with tin foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until done (peppers will be easily pierced with a fork). If you’re using the barbecue, wrap each pepper half in tin foil and cook on direct medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until done.
