Mediterranean Style Shrimp Stuffed Peppers

I've been noticing a lot of stuffed pepper recipes popping up on Pinterest lately. While I love stuffed peppers, I've never actually made them for myself. So after seeing so many stuffed pepper recipes, I decided to try creating my own.

Many of the stuffed pepper recipes on Pinterest use a rice or bean base. To combine both of these ideas, I used quinoa and chickpeas in my creation. I also love Greek food, so I added a Mediterranean twist to these peppers by using a Mediterranern herb seasoning and feta cheese. These stuffed peppers are flavorful and filling, and make a great summertime meal.

Mediterranean Style Shrimp Stuffed Peppers
(4 entrees or 8 sides)

4 bell peppers, sliced in half and gutted
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
6 ounces raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, cut into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp Mediterranean herb seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas
1/2 cup reduced fat feta cheese
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Prepare quinoa by placing 1 cup vegetable broth and quinoa in a pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Meanwhile, heat non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add onions and garlic, and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until onions become translucent. Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp are pink. Season with Mediterranean seasoning and salt and pepper. Add chickpeas and cooked quinoa. Saute for another 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place prepared pepper halves in a baking dish. Fill peppers half full with quinoa and shrimp stuffing. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Top with more stuffing. Repeat for all peppers. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top of each pepper. Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with more feta cheese and serve immediately.

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Nutritional Information:
8 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 156
Fat: 3.25g
Fiber: 4.5g

Pros:
-Pretty presentation
-Filling
-Nutritious
-Ready in an hour
-Can serve as a side dish or entree
-Versatile-add different ingredients and seasonings to suit your tastes

Cons:
-Lots of pots and pans to clean
-Extensive prep work (tip: buy already peeled and deveined shrimp to cut down on the prep work)
-Seasonal

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5