Side Stuffed Peppers

I love going to Mexican restaurants. They have some of my favorite things- fresh salsa, tortilla chips, melty cheese, and margaritas. YUM!

I currently live in a part of the city with no Mexican restaurants nearby, so unless I want to have some margs and stumble back to my house on public transit, I have to make Mexican food at home. 

One of my favorite side kicks to a taco or burrito is refried beans with melty cheese on top! So in the spirit of light but hardy wintertime foods, Side Stuffed Peppers were born.

Side Stuffed Peppers

1/2 cup brown rice
1 1/4 cup veggie broth
3 medium sized green peppers, cut in half, seeds/ stems removed
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 can vegetarian refried beans
3 slices of cheese (like provolone or cheddar)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Start the rice by lightly toasting the rice in 1 tbsp olive oil, in a small sauce pan. Add the veggie broth, turn the burner to medium low, and cover with a lid. Follow package directions, but mine cooked about 30 minutes.
Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray and arrange the 6 pepper halves inside. Lightly spray them with cooking spray as well and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake for 20 minutes.
In another small sauce pan, soften the onion and garlic with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the taco seasoning, smoked paprika, and refried beans. Stir until warmed through.
Remove the pepper halves from the oven. Add about 1 tbsp of cooked rice to the bottom of each pepper. Add about 1.5 tbsp of refried beans on top of the rice. Top with 1/2 slice of cheese.
Bake for 5 more minutes. Then place under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly.
Serve with your favorite taco toppings, like chopped tomatoes and guacamole. (I bought guacamole instead of making it because I didn't feel like making it- thanks Whole Foods.)

xoxo Sam