Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

As Vegetarians who love to exercise and lift weights protein and carbohydrates are always a concern especially of my Hubby's who always worries that there is never enough protein!! I on the other hand think between eggs, tofu, beans, tempeh and quinoa we are doing just fine on the protein front.

So instead of the traditional pepper stuffing of rice I used quinoa to up the protein value.

Quinoa, what is it???  Its a delicious grain that has a nutty flavor and somewhat of a crunchier texture than rice or pasta. It is known for its high protein content and fiber but it also has a lot of magnesium and iron.  I had issues with anemia about 9 years ago and ever since I have been a vegetarian those problems of being turned away when donating blood have gone to the wayside! Eat more Quinoa!

 To Cook Quinoa:
 - Boil 1 1/4 cup water
 - Add 1 cup Quinoa and 1/2 cup raisins
 - Reduce to simmer for 15 minutes
 - Take off heat and let sit for 5 minutes

 In a Separate pan:
 - Heat pan on medium and give a quick spray with canola based cooking spray
 - Saute 2 green onions and a 1 Tbl of garlic - about 3 minutes
 - Add 2 to 3 cups of Greens (any greens will do) ca
 - Add 1 Tbl of cumin, 1/2 Tbl of coriander, pinch of salt and pepper
 - If you want some heat add 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
 - Saute till tender and if you need some liquid add a few splashes of veggie stock! SAVES Calories!
 - Add Quinoa mixture into the pan, toss to incorporate and get stuffing!

Heat Peppers for a 4 minutes in 375 degree oven to make tender and add stuffing. 
Cook for 20 minutes covered, remove cover and cook for 15 more minutes. 

Directions for Brent so I can go back to work! 

Hiking and Sandwiches!

More Hiking this weekend! We have found the one thing that our dog loves more than the dog park...putting his nose to the ground and sniffing nature for hours!  He definitely fits into our family with his gung-ho outdoor loving attitude. 

We hiked out at Prince William Forest Park which is quite a drive especially when you get lost so many times! But we made it and had a fabulous time in a major wind storm...up to 50mph...the trees make such an unbelievable sound with that kind of wind. 

I learned that when a tree is falling you shouldn't run away from it because its size and branch spread you should run towards the base to avoid being majorly hurt. 

My Boys!

 Tall Trees...watch for the falling ones!

Soul Satisfying Sandwiches to fill our bellies after a full day! Grilled Tempeh, Parsnips and mushrooms with Trader Joes Roasted Red Pepper spread (some of the best stuff on sammy's!)

Lots of walking on the weekend...lots of running and lifting this week!

Fresh Fungi!!!

The Farm share that we received yesterday was plentiful and included a 1lb of white button mushrooms which are delicious and nutritious in so many ways! I love mushrooms in salad, on pizza, in omelets and even roasted by themselves...

Today we had breakfast for lunch with almost everything coming from the farm...eggs, shallots, garlic, potatoes, swiss cheese and of course MUSHROOMS! I also threw in some frozen spinach because every meal should have a little green. 

Mushrooms are a great source of Fiber, (8 to 10 percent of their dry weight is fiber) potassium and protein which a lot of veggie eaters don't get enough of. 


We are mostly vegetarians at home with maybe 4 meals a month that contain fish when we go out to dinner or see family so we get creative with our veggies! One of the biggest challenges is getting enough protein to keep up with an active weight lifting and cardio regiment while keeping the carb intake at a reasonable level. Mushrooms are the perfect solution!! They will fill you up with lean protein and good fiber while being a zero calorie food containing NO fat, cholesterol and very few carbs!

Today...was an exercise off day with a 1.5 mile walk with Rooney around the lake. Somehow we got a 65 degree day in February so of course he took that opportunity to jump in the water and be a maniac!  Tomorrow...5 mile run on the W/OD trail! Looking forward to another amazing day, 70's here we come. I know it isn't going to stay so we might as well take advantage of it now!

I don't think I could ever stay mad at that face! He hams it up wherever we go and most the ladies seem to fawn over him and give him lovin and treats, his master plan is working!