Stuffed Peppers

Summertime is here, and peppers are in season. What to do? What to do? There's always tossing them into a cold salad or a morning omelet, but when you feel like something heartier, try stuffing them full of tasty brown rice, beans, vegetables, cheese, and spices.

INGREDIENTS

- 6 large bell peppers, any color... tops and seeds removed

- 2 cups cooked brown rice

- 4 medium tomatoes, chopped

- 1 small/medium sweet onion, diced

- 6 cloves garlic, diced small

- 1 cup cheese shredded (cheddar, monterey jack, parmesan, etc.), plus a little extra

- 1/2 cup red kidney beans

- 1/2 cup black beans

- 1 TBSP dried basil

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

- 3/4 cup pasta sauce

- 1 cup vegetable broth

HOW TO PREPARE

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until lightly browned.
3. In a small bowl, combine the vegetable broth and pasta sauce.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice, tomatoes, cooked onions and garlic, cheese, beans, and spices. 
5. Arrange the peppers, hollowed side up, in a baking dish.
6. Spoon the mixture from the large bowl into the peppers.
7. Poor the sauce and broth into the bottom of the pan, and sprinkle a little extra cheese on top of the peppers.  
8. Bake peppers for 30-40 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly and the peppers are tender when poked with a fork.