Stuffed Capsicum

Serves 4
Prep time 25 mins, cooking time 10 mins
Nutritional Information per 300 gram serving: Energy 1140 kJ (273 kcal), Protein 13.4 g, Fat total 7.4 g – saturated 2 g, Carbohydrate 32.7 g – sugars 7.3 g, Sodium 4.1 mg

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown rice

1 cup salt-reduced vegetable stock

4 capsicums

2 Tbsp oil for cooking

1/2 onion

260 g red kidney beans

4 small, 3 medium-sized button mushroom

1/2 courgette, diced

herbs (sweet basil/thyme)

1/2 tsp iodised salt

pepper to taste

30 g parmesan

Directions

Preheat oven to 180oC.

Begin by putting the rice on to cook in the stock, plus another cup of water. While it boils, prepare the veggies.

Wash the capsicums thoroughly, then slice the top off (approximately 1 cm from the top). Cut the core out with a knife, being careful not to pierce the bottom and remove any remaining seeds with your fingers. Place the now hollow capsicums in a muffin tin, sprayed with cooking oil, which will keep them upright when they’re in the oven. Wrap some tin foil around the stems so they don’t burn when in the oven. Set aside.

Dice the onion and add to a pan with a splash of oil. Sauté until clear.

Rinse the kidney beans and add them to the pan to fry, followed by the mushroom and courgette. Add herbs and stir through.

Add 3 tablespoons of the stock from the pot of rice to the pan and stir. By the time the liquid in the pan has reduced the rice should be cooked. If the rice is cooked, but there is still some liquid left in the pot, put the rice in a sieve so the liquid can drain away.

Add the rice to the pan of beans and vegetables, stir and add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the rice and bean mixture into the capsicums packing it in firmly. Once full to the top grate some parmesan over the top of the mixture and place the capsicum lid back on.

Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.