Stuffed Peppers with Chipotle Tomato Sauce

6 Bell Peppers

1 pound Ground Beef (90/10)

1/2 cup chopped Onion

2 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup Green Onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups cooked Quinoa 

1/4 cup Low Fat Sour Cream

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper, to taste

Cut off top of peppers and reserve them; scoop the seeds out and white membranes.

Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat, add one table spoon of olive oil.  Saute onions for 2-3 minutes, add ground beef.  Season with salt and pepper, and saute for about 8-10 minutes.  Turn the heat off.  Add garlic, cilantro, green onion, quinoa, and sour cream.  Adjust seasoning as needed.

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F.

Stuff peppers with beef-quinoa mixture; cover with the pepper tops.  Arrange stuff peppers in a baking dish.  Brush them with the rest of the oil.  Cover with some foil and bake for about 30 minutes.  Turn on a broiler.

Uncover the peppers and cook for another 2 minutes, until tops are golden brown.

Serves 4-6

To serve:  Scoop some Chipotle-Tomato Sauce on the bottom of a plate and place Stuffed Pepper in the center.

Chipotle-Tomato Sauce

2 pounds Tomatoes, halved

1 Sweet Onion, chopped into large pieces

5 Garlic Cloves

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Chipotle Adobe Peppers, plus 2 tablespoons of Liquid

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

Salt, Pepper to taste  

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.  Arrange tomatoes, chopped onion, and garlic cloves on a baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Let it cool for about 15 minutes.  In food processor, blend roasted veggies.  Add cilantro and adobe peppers.  Blend together for another minute.  Adjust seasoning as needed.  

Preheat a skillet to low heat.  Transfer the sauce into a skillet and warm it up while peppers are baking.

*Can be made a day ahead.  Just warm up the sauce in a skillet before serving. 

Blackened Salmon with Wild Mushroom Quinoa

2 pounds Wild Salmon

2 tablespoons Smoked Paprika

2 tablespoons Dried Oregano

1 tablespoon Ground Pepper

1 tablespoon Sea Salt

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Onion Powder

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.  In a small bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.  Rub the salmon with the spices on both side very well.  Brush the oil on the top side of the salmon, not the skin side.

Place the salmon skin side down on the grill.  Grill it for about ten minutes, flipping it once, for medium done.

Wild Mushroom Quinoa

1 cup Quinoa

1/2 pound Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced

1/4 pound Oyster Mushrooms, sliced

2 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 teaspoon Chili Flakes

Salt, Pepper to taste

1 tablespoon Butter

2 tablespoon Olive Oil

Cook quinoa according to directions on the package.

Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat.  Melt the butter and oil together.  Add mushrooms, season with salt, pepper, chili flakes, and cook for about 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic, fresh cilantro, cooked quinoa, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and toss it all together.

Serve this dinner family style.  On a large platter place the Wild Mushroom Quinoa and top it with Blackened Salmon.

Serves 4-5

Quinoa Salad with Garlic Champagne Vinaigrette

1 cup uncooked Quinoa

1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved

1 Corn on the cob

1/2 cup chopped Cillantro

1 Garlic Clove, minced very finely

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

2 tablespoons Champagne Vinegar

Juice of one Lemon

1/4 teaspoon Chili Flakes

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper to taste

Cook quinoa according to directions on the box and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes. Cut the corn off the cob, add the remaining vegetables to the large bowl. Season to your taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the dressing; in a separate dish add the minced garlic, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the oil while whisking it at the same time.

Add cooled off quinoa to the vegetables. Pour dressing right over all the ingredients, mix, and serve at room temperature.

Serves 4-6

*This salad is perfect for summer outdoor fun, because of the oil based dressing.