The following recipe is inspired by some of my favorite flavors and features of Thai food (at least as I experience it in the US!)—ginger, lime, basil, garlic, mung bean sprouts, and peanuts. This recipe is a healthy way to enjoy all of those yummy flavors without the who-knows-what you may encounter at a restaurant. (Not that I'm planning to stop frequenting Thai restaurants, of course!)
Stuffed bell peppers are an easy way to wow guests—plus baked red bell peppers taste divine. There’s a good chance that you will have plenty of leftover stuffing from this recipe. Save it for your lunch or another round of stuffed peppers. Mmm!
YIELDS
2-4 servings
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 1 cup brown rice (dry)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 lime
- 1 tbsp peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp tamari
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped
- 1 small zucchini, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 handful grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced in half from top to bottom
- 1 small bunch fresh basil, shredded
- 1 handful peanuts, roughly chopped
- 1 handful mung bean sprouts
Directions
1. In a large pot, bring 2 ½ cups of water to a boil. For extra flavorful rice, use 1 part water, 1 part low-sodium veggie broth. Add 1 cup dry rice and 1 tsp. sea salt to the boiling water. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 40-45 minutes, or until water is fully absorbed and the rice is fluffy. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, tamari, peanut butter, and ginger powder. Set aside.
3. Slice red bell peppers in half from top to bottom. Remove seeds. In a pot of boiling water, blanch the pepper halves for about one minute. Use tongs to remove the peppers and quickly rinse them in cold water. Set aside.
4. In a large pan or wok, warm 1 tbsp. coconut oil over medium heat. Sautée red onion until mostly translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the rest of the veggies (zucchini, carrot, garlic, and tomato) and cook until the carrot is soft.
5. Add 1 cup cooked rice to the pan, pour sauce over the mixture, and stir for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
6. Being careful not to burn yourself, stuff the pepper halves with your veggie and rice mix. Set stuffed pepper halves in a baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes at 350F, or longer if you'd like your ingredients a little crispier.
7. To serve, top with chopped basil, chopped peanuts, and bean sprouts.
More vegan Thai recipes: High Protein Spicy Peanut Noodles
Tom Kha (Thai Coconut Soup)
Peanut Satay Over Cauli Rice
Photos: Mary Hood
Tom Kha (Thai Coconut Soup)
Peanut Satay Over Cauli Rice
