Stuffed Mini Peppers in Coconut - Leek Creamy Sauce

Mini peppers are my new fave. I love munching on them as a snack, packing them in my kids' lunches, and stuffing them for dinner. They are sweet and crunchy, and go really well with the quinoa filling.

The coconut creamy sauce perfectly compliments the peppers, making them decadent and sophisticated.

So easy to prepare and so delicious. Peppers are very good for you, they are loaded with nutrients and vitamins, such as vitamin A, C and Folic acid. They are low in calories and high in fiber. The red pepper has the most nutritional value since it's been the longest on the vine. It contains almost 10 times more beta carotene than the green pepper that was harvested first.

What's not to love? Try this recipe out for yourself. 

Ingredients:

Sauce:

3 cups of leeks, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt

Pepper

1 can of light coconut milk, 14 oz / 400 ml

1 tablespoon mellow white miso paste

12 mini colorful peppers, trimmed and seedless 

Filling:

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup cooked tricolor quinoa

1 jalapeño, seedless, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 carrot, grated

1/2 teaspoon old bay seasoning

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 F°.

In a nonstick pan, add olive oil, leeks, ginger and garlic. Saute on meduim heat until tender and fragrant.

Then add the coconut cream and miso paste. Lower the heat and cover with lid. Let it cook for about 20 minutes. Take a hand blender and blend the sauce into a smooth creamy texture. Pour the sauce into a square Pyrex dish. 

Filling:

In a nonstick pan add olive oil, jalapeño, celery, carrot, salt and pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes then add old bay seasoning, and cooked quinoa. Saute for a few more minutes, until the flavors combine. Set aside.

Take the peppers, and stuff them by using a spoon. You can pack the filling pretty tight. Lay the peppers directly on the sauce, cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for 20 more minutes. Let it set for a few minutes before serving.