stuffed but still healthy

The bell peppers at Henrys are always super cheap so I have a feeling I am going to be making this recipe often. And really, you can just throw whatever you have in the fridge into a pepper and bake it-- this recipe definately lends itself to some flexibility. It is also a healthy alternative to the normal stuffed pepper that is full of ground beef. And for my vegan friends, it can certainly be made vegan friendly! One suggestion though, rather than cut the tops off the peppers, I think it is best to cut them in half. More crispy goodness to enjoy. We stumbled upon this suggestion because I generally don't use all the produce I buy in an efficient manner and there was a bad spot on one of the peppers. Thank God for old food in the fridge!

Couscous Stuffed Peppers

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

servings: 4-5

time: 30-40 minutes

• bell peppers of any color (depending on size 3-4)
• 2/3 cup couscous
• 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2-3 zucchinis, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1-2 tomatoes
• half a can of chickpeas
• half of an onion, chopped
• 1-2 precooked chicken or turkey fancy sausage, quartered and thinly sliced (I used Trader Joes chicken pesto sausage)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Half the bell peppers and clean them out. Spray a baking sheet with Pam, and cook bell peppers in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prep the veggies and cook the couscous (bring broth to a boil and add couscous, let it sit for 5 minutes then fluff). Saute onions and sausage, then zucchini with herbs, salt and pepper. Add couscous some parmesan cheese to taste. Stuff it all into the bell peppers. Add some more parmesan on top. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Jess: "The stuffed peppers were really good...next time cut them in half to get more crunchy topping. Also, I'm glad we used parmesan instead of feta, no fennel and no tomato paste (see the original recipe). Nicole should cook dinner for me every night!"

David: "The couscous added a nice light texture to the stuffed peppers. The only thing I would have added is a bit of tomato paste. Oh yeah, and fennel!"

Antony: "The peppers were great. I liked it cut lengthwise- more crunchiness! The couscous without the tomato paste made it light. A little more sausage wouldn't hurt. Thanks for cooking."