This recipe makes a delightful change from traditional stuffed peppers. The couscous adds a lighter texture to the peppers that a rice based stuffing does, and cooks in a fraction of the time. Use your favorite bell peppers, or an assortment of colors for a colorful side dish or entree.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups - vegetable broth
2 tablespoons - butter
15 ounces - drained and rinsed chick peas
1/2 cup - diced carrot
1 - bunch chopped scallions
2 - minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons - ground cumin
1/4 teaspoons - freshly ground black pepper
6 - medium bell peppers
1 cup - couscous
2 cups - vegetable spaghetti sauce

Instructions

Place a large saucepan over high heat. Add the vegetable broth, butter, chick peas, carrot, scallions, garlic, cumin, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. While the broth mixture is cooking, fill another large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Slice the tops from the peppers if you are making the peppers as a main dish, otherwise slice the peppers in half. Remove the membranes and seeds. Dice the tops of the peppers and add to the broth mixture. Place the peppers in the boiling water and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the peppers are tender, but still crisp. Add the couscous to the broth mixture and remove from the heat. Stir well, cover, and let sit for five minutes. Drain the peppers well and place in a large baking dish. Fluff the couscous mixture with a fork and loosely stuff the peppers. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for three minutes. While the peppers are reheating, heat the spaghetti sauce. Serve the peppers with the spaghetti sauce on the side.

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Number of Servings

Serves 6 as an entree and 12 as a side dish

Tips

Preparation Time : 5 minutes Cooking Time : 15 minutes Total Time : 20 minutes