on herb & cheese polenta...While I was flipping through one of my recipe scrapbooks this past weekend, I came across a recipe for anchovy and olive stuffed peppers with blue cheese polenta.
As soon as I saw it, I was instantly in the mood for stuffed peppers, only I wanted the filling to be more substantial, dare I say, meaty...but without any meat, lol.
After some thought, I selected the following to be my star ingredients:
...bulgur wheat and lentils.
I knew that lentils would lend a "meaty" flavor to the stuffing, and I just tossed in the bulgur wheat since it seemed more nutritious than using bread crumbs or plain rice.
Turns out that bulgur mixed with lentils makes a really satisfying combo! My sister really enjoyed the peppers and assumed that I had stuffed them with seasoned ground turkey.
She then proceeded to gag, jokingly, once I told her I'd actually just used beans...go figure, haha!
I really enjoyed this filling alot, it had a nice chewy texture, and with a few tweaks here and there, I think it could be the base of a pretty tasty veggie burger. I'll have to work on that idea soon..
Budget Breakdown: Another advantage to this meal is that the ingredients are relatively inexpensive, as well as healthy. The bulgur, lentils, and cornmeal were on average about $1 per 1lb bag (Goya brand), and I only used between 1 or 2 cups of each. Instead of stock, I diluted veggie boullion, which came in a pack of about 6 for 80 cents. I think the most expensive ingredients were the cheeses...and they can be omitted completely if desired...
If you're just not a fan of cheese, try substituting something tangy like chopped olives or capers.
*A note of warning: hmm, how can I put this delicately?...This is definitely a high-fiber meal, so proceed with caution if you're not used to this much fiber in one gulp, lol...
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I just kind of went with the flow with this dish, but I did try to translate the measurements / recipe as best I could :o)
Feel free to substitute regular vegetable stock in place of the boullion...
Lentil & Bulgur Stuffed Peppers
makes 4-8 servings
Olive oil
1 medium carrot, chopped (~1/2 cup)
1 small onion, diced (~ 1/2 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large vegetable boullion cube +
1 cup coarse bulgur wheat
fresh chopped basil (~ 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup of water or stock
Marinara sauce or seasoned crushed tomatoes
Start by sauteing the carrots in a bit of olive oil until they begin to soften. Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic and cook until softened, but not brown.
Stir in the tomato paste, and cook until it begins to darken slightly. Then add in the boullion/broth, thyme, lentils. Season to taste.
Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Brush the inside and outside of the peppers with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, just to get a head start on softening them up.
Reduce the oven temp to 375 degrees.
Cover the entire dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Rosemary-Feta Polenta
makes ~ 4 servings
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
4 cups water or stock
1-2 teaspoons coarse salt, depending
1 1/2 cups coarse cornmeal / polenta
1/2 cup crumbled feta (or chopped cured olives as a vegan option)
In a medium pot, warm the chopped rosemary and olive oil over a medium flame.
A few seconds after the oil begins to sizzle, pour in the liquid and salt.
Turn the heat up and bring the water to a rolling boil.
Slowly drizzle the polenta into the boiling water, whisking to prevent lumps.
Turn the heat to medium, and let it cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until it reaches a consistency you like. It'll thicken up as it sits.
Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the crumbled cheese.
Feel free to stir in a pat of butter and /or some parmesan cheese if you'd like as well..
I served the stuffed peppers with the polenta while it was still warm and "porridgey". But, you can also transfer it to a tray or container to cool. Once cool, slice it up and serve :o)
Enjoy!
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 large vegetable boullion cube +
3 1/2 cups water
Thyme sprigs
1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup coarse bulgur wheat
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 ripe plum tomato, choppedfresh chopped basil (~ 1/4 cup)
4 bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed
olive oil salt & pepper
1/2 cup of water or stock
Marinara sauce or seasoned crushed tomatoes
Shredded mozzarella
extra chopped basilStart by sauteing the carrots in a bit of olive oil until they begin to soften. Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic and cook until softened, but not brown.
Stir in the tomato paste, and cook until it begins to darken slightly. Then add in the boullion/broth, thyme, lentils. Season to taste.
Simmer the lentils, covered, for about 30 minutes.
After that, remove from heat. Check for salt and pepper and stir in the parmesan, bulgur wheat, chopped tomato and basil. Cover and let the mixture steam until all the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur has softened and puffed up. The mixture should end up looking a little like this:
While the filling is steaming, prepare the peppers ...
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.After that, remove from heat. Check for salt and pepper and stir in the parmesan, bulgur wheat, chopped tomato and basil. Cover and let the mixture steam until all the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur has softened and puffed up. The mixture should end up looking a little like this:
While the filling is steaming, prepare the peppers ...
Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Brush the inside and outside of the peppers with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, just to get a head start on softening them up.
Stuff the peppers with the seasoned lentil/bulgur mixture, then top with marinara sauce and grated mozzarella. Add about a half cup of vegetable stock (or water) to the bottom of the baking dish.
Reduce the oven temp to 375 degrees.
Cover the entire dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Then remove the foil and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Top with fresh basil.Rosemary-Feta Polenta
makes ~ 4 servings
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
4 cups water or stock
1-2 teaspoons coarse salt, depending
1 1/2 cups coarse cornmeal / polenta
1/2 cup crumbled feta (or chopped cured olives as a vegan option)
In a medium pot, warm the chopped rosemary and olive oil over a medium flame.
A few seconds after the oil begins to sizzle, pour in the liquid and salt.
Turn the heat up and bring the water to a rolling boil.
Slowly drizzle the polenta into the boiling water, whisking to prevent lumps.
Turn the heat to medium, and let it cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until it reaches a consistency you like. It'll thicken up as it sits.
Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the crumbled cheese.
Feel free to stir in a pat of butter and /or some parmesan cheese if you'd like as well..
I served the stuffed peppers with the polenta while it was still warm and "porridgey". But, you can also transfer it to a tray or container to cool. Once cool, slice it up and serve :o)
Enjoy!
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