Couscous Filled Peppers with Olives and Vegan Cheese

This is an easy stuffed pepper recipe with an Italian touch. You can do this with any pepper, we particularly enjoy the long pointed sweet peppers.

Yield: 4 filled peppers for 2-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 long sweet peppers (like the banana, Marconi or Hungarian wax pepper)
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 & 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 tablespoon Italian herbs
• 2-3 sun-dried tomatoes, minced
• handful pine nuts or sunflower seeds (optional)
• 3 tablespoons black olives, sliced
• 4 ounces vegan cheese (cheddar, feta or your choice), cut in small cubes
• handful mixed fresh herbs, chopped

Directions:

1. Place the couscous in a bowl.
2. Add the Italian herbs and bouillon cube.
3. Pour the boiling water over, mix well to dissolve the bouillon cube and place a lid or plate over the top.
4. Slice the peppers lengthwise through the center.
5. Remove the ribs and seeds.
6. Mince the sun-dried tomatoes, slice the olives and prepare any seeds or nuts you wish to add.
7. Cut the vegan cheese in small cubes.
8. Stir the couscous with a fork to fluff it up.
9. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and nuts or seeds.
10. Preheat the oven to 425 F / 218 C.
11. Fill each pepper with the couscous mixture.
12. Lay the peppers in an oven-proof baking dish.
13. Top each pepper with a few olives and some vegan cheese cubes.
14. Sprinkle some freshly chopped herbs over the top.
15. Carefully pour water into the bottom of the baking dish. Fill the dish so that the peppers are 1/2 way sitting in water, but not to the level of the couscous. This will help the peppers to cook faster and softer, without overcooking the top.
16. Carefully place the baking dish in the lower portion of your oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
17. The meal is ready when the peppers have softened.

Notes:

We served these with parsley new potatoes on the side.