Stuffed Bell Peppers

1/4 Cup onions chopped (which ever flavor you like, I do a mix of red and white)

6-8 Bell Peppers dependant on size, I like to do several colors, it adds flavor

2 tbsp oil
2 Sausages (you can use pork, turkey, chickien tofu or what ever your diet requires)

2 cups pre cooked rice (I like to use Jasmine rice)
1 Cup pre cooked Lentils

6oz Tomato paste

12oz water

Salt to taste

Cheese of choice (I like munster)

Pre-heat oven to 375

My first meal will be a Stuffed Bell Pepper! Start out with dicing up about a quarter cup of onions. Cut the tops of the bell peppers off and dice up the flesh aroud the stem. You will be adding this to the stuffing ( for an added health bonus save the seeds to put in the stuffing as I've heard they are loaded with vitamin C and you really can't taste them in the mix.)

Rinse out the inside of the bottom half of the bell pepper and place on a cookie sheet.

In a large frying pan or small pot open two sausages and brown the meat. I get mine from Sproute's and like a hot italian susage and a spicy parmesan sausage mix. It's still a mild level of spice but adds something nice. Put that with about 2 talbe spoons of oil in a pan and brown the sausage. add in the diced onions and diced tops of the bell peppers (this is where the multiple colors looks nice and adds flavor), saute over medium-high heat. Another idea would be to add diced mushrooms for the mushroom lovers; I'll probably try this next time I make this meal.

When sausage is browned add your 2cups of rice and 1 cup of lentils into the pan. At this time you can add different seasonings such as garlic, cumin, cardamom exc. but to make things easier I just by the packet of precooked lentils by "Tasty Bites" called "Lentil Magic". This adds a perfect amount of flavor and is all ready to go! Otherwise you can make lentils from scratch and flavor to taste (carful to not over flavor). After all has been heated and mixed add 6oz of Tomato Paste and about two of those can's full of water. Stir all of this in until it looks well mixed. If you need to add moisture to your stuffing add more water. Now that your stuffing is completed, salt to taste. I like to add small cubes of cheese in to the mix, but this is completely optional for the lactose intolerant out there.

Stuff the stuffing into the bell peppers. I like to add a slice of cheese to the top but as you can see in the photo, I ran out of cheese so I did not add to the top of these bell peppers. Thus you see, you taters of the lactose, this again is optional. Place peppers in preheated over for 20-25 minutes or until peppers oare softened.

Enjoy!

* The stuffing also tastes great with Corn chips. Try it as a dip or on top of your nacho's!