Paint With All the Colors

Guys, I just can't get away from beans. I can't and I won't! And because DC was cold and gray and awful last week, this week's dose of beans comes to you in an extra colorful form: Spicy Stuffed Peppers.

This dish is basically a burrito stuffed into a bell pepper. Honestly, I just don't know how you could possibly go wrong. These little bombs do require a bit of prep time, but you'll be amply rewarded by a beautiful tray of peppers overflowing with rice, beans, and plenty of fragrant spices. Bell peppers have tons of vitamin C, which is perfect for when the weather is shitty and everyone around you is sniffly, and I guarantee the vibrant colors will be well-received on a gloomy winter day.

I made these recently for a dinner party, which worked out perfectly - everyone got their own pretty little pepper, and judging by how quickly they disappeared, I'm going to label these an all-around success!

Spicy Stuffed Peppers
(adapted from Isabelle Boucher over at Crumb)

Makes 6 peppers

1 cup rice
6 medium bell peppers (red, orange, yellow, green, whatever you please!)
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 can black beans, drained
1 can sweet corn, drained
3 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
½ cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons cilantro
hot sauce, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil to coat your pan

Cook your rice while you prep all your veggies. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and roughly chop the cilantro. Now for the peppers: carefully cut off the top of each one and scoop out any seeds that are left over. You can keep the little hats for presentation, or you can accidentally throw them out like an idiot.

Pre-decapitation.

You don't want your bell peppers to be too tough after they cook, so we're going to soften them up a little bit before we bake them. Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil - once it's bubbling away, toss the peppers in there for about 5 minutes. You can take them out once they're a little softer and less bright than when they started. Drain well, then set them right-side up in a baking pan lined with aluminum foil.

I recommend a bigger pot.

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Now it's time to make the filling! Heat a little bit of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then toss in the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent. Add the rest of your goodies - rice, beans, corn, paprika, cumin, and tomato sauce - and stir until everything is combined and steamy. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro, and as much (or as little) hot sauce, salt, and pepper as you fancy.

Cumin, my favorite!

Carefully spoon the filling into the bell peppers, stuffing them all the way to the brim. Pop the little guys in the oven for 25 minutes, until you can see the skin of the peppers start to brown and crack.

Ready for roasting.

Take them out and let them cool for a minute, just so the filling has a chance to set a bit. Serve with a side salad or topped with sliced avocado for a healthy, colorful dinner!