Stuffed Red Peppers With Lentils

This recipe came from Saveur Magazine, September 2011.
This is a very Nutritionally Dense dish high in Alkaline, Magnesium and Antioxidants.
Ingredient List:
Red Bell Peppers - 6
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup plus 8 teaspoons
Garlic - 6 cloves chopped
Red Hot Chili Pepper - 1
Tomatoes - 2 lbs
Agave - 2 1/2 teaspoons
Shallots - 3 chopped
Carrots - 3 chopped
Fresh Oregano - 2 teaspoons, finely chopped
Brown Lentils - 1 1/4 cup
Sunflower Seeds - 1/2 cup toasted
Vegetable Stock - 2 1/2 cups
Saffron - pinch
Sherry Vinegar - 2 tablespoons
Salt and Pepper - to taste
Directions:
1. Bring water to boil in a 5 quart pot approximately 1/2 full. Enough water to cover tomatoes.
Put tomatoes in boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove from water, when cool enough to hold remove the skin and core.
Put the tomatoes in a blender and puree. Set Aside.
2. Cut the stem from the hot red pepper and slice lengthwise and remove seeds. Finely chop.
Drain the water from the 5 quart pot and add 4 tablespoons of olive oil.
Heat pot on medium heat.
Add garlic and pepper, cook until you can smell the garlic, about one minute.
Add in tomato puree
Add 2 teaspoons of Agave
Add salt to taste
Cook for 45 minutes, on medium heat until sauce thickens. Stir infrequently while thickening.
3. While the tomato sauce is cooking add 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil to a skillet and toast the sunflower seeds on medium heat for 4 minutes. Remove from skillet and let rest on a plate.
4. Add 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil to the skillet on medium heat.
Add Shallots and carrots cook until soft 10 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoons of Sherry Vinegar.
Add 1/2 tsp of Agave
Add Oregano
Add Vegetable Stock
Add Lentils
Add Saffron
Add 1/2 of the Tomato Puree
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The lentils will absorb the liquid.
Turn off heat
Add Sunflower seeds and mix well.
Set aside.
5. Heat oven to 400 degrees
Cut the top off of each pepper. We want to have a cap to rest on top. Keep the cap close to the pepper it came from for re-assembly.
Clean the inside of the red peppers remove seeds and rinse.
Put the 6 peppers in a baking dish.
Fill each pepper with the lentil mixture.
Pour remaining Tomato sauce into the dish around the peppers.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.
Remove aluminum foil, bake for 15 minutes.
The goal is to have slightly browned tops.
That was a lot of work but it was worth it, because the peppers taste so good.....
If you got this far, give your self a pat on the back.
You did an excellent job, chef!
Dr. McGuckin is a Chiropractic Internist Specializing in Reducing Inflammation, Increasing Energy, and Improving Activity using Laboratory, Listening, and Natural Solutions.
Dr. McGuckin uses diet and nutrition support to help your body repair. Dr. McGuckin works with your current doctor(s), and is not considered a replacement for your primary care physician. Dr. McGuckin requires all patients to have a primary care physician to cover emergency and routine care.
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[@rebeccamagallanes17]

Looks delicious! My mouth watered when you took off the cap. 😊

[@DrBrianMcGuckin]

That's great! I am so happy with how it tasted!