Why Pea-protein verses Tempeh or Soy crumble?  I chose Pea-Protein because it’s very healthy.  It’s full of antioxidants and it has anti-inflammatory properties which are important for your health.  Inflammation is linked to many chronic diseases, chronic pain and antioxidants are good for your skin. So getting a little boost of antioxidants from your food and keeping inflammation down are good health choices. 

Makes 4 Serving

Ingredients

• Pea-Protein crumbles (the brand I used is Longeve Plant-based protein crumbles 6 oz. bag)
• Brown Thai Jasmine rice - 1/2 cup (you can use your favorite brown rice if you're not a fan of Thai Jasmine rice)
• Avocado oil - 1/2 cup; you can use extra-virgin olive oil
• Roma tomatoes - 10 large
• Red Bell Pepper (2)
• Yellow Bell Peppers (2)
• Finely diced yellow onions - 1/2 cup
• Finely diced red onions - 1/2 cup
• Finely diced green bell peppers - 1/2 cup
• Ground Cumin - 1/2 teaspoon
• Red Pepper Flakes - 1/4 teaspoon
• Cayenne Pepper - 1/8 teaspoon
• Roasted Garlic - 10 cloves ( 2 heads, cut the top off, drizzle in olive oil, salt & pepper, wrap in tin foil and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 40 minutes)
• Red Wine Vinegar - 1 tablespoon
• Fresh thyme - 1/4 cup minced
• Ground White Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven at 350 degrees

Rice - In a medium saucepan bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil, add salt and 1/8 teaspoon of olive oil to water, Add rice slowly, stirring with a fork.  Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bring to a boil.  Once boiling lower heat to simmer for 40 minutes or until all water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.  Remove lid and let cool.

While rice is cooking, place tomatoes in the preheated oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  As tomatoes cook watch for skin blisters, turn with tongs when you see blistering.  Cook for about 20 minutes, turning frequently.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.  Once cooled, transfer the tomatoes and juices from the baking sheet to a food processor or blender fitted with metal blades.  Process or blend in 2 or 3 quick pulses;  you want the consistency chunky.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In a large pot over high heat, bring 8 quarts of water to a boil. Add the bell peppers and boil until slightly soften.  Remove from the hot water, place in cool water for 1 minute, cut off the top, and spoon out the internals and seeds and set aside.

Pea-Protein preparation - mix 1/3 bag of crumbles in 1 cup of hot water.  Wait 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat, warm the oil (olive or Avocado).  Add the yellow and red onions and green bell peppers, sauté for 5 minutes, or until soften.  Raise heat, add Pea-protein crumbles, cumin, red peppers flakes, and cayenne pepper, stirring frequently until browned.  Add the roasted garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat, and add the rice, the red wine vinegar, the thyme, plus 2 cups of the processed tomatoes (reserve the rest for topping the finished peppers).

Stuff the bell peppers with the rice and pea-protein crumble mixture and transfer them to a baking dish where they fit snugly (so they don’t topple over). Loosely cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the peppers are tender.

Remove from oven, evenly divide the remaining processed tomatoes by the number of peppers, and top the bell peppers with it.  Garnish each pepper with a sprinkle of thyme and season with white pepper to taste. I completed my dish with greens from my garden. Bon appetite !!!