Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1         tablespoon  olive oil
     1/2           cup  diced onion
     1/4           cup  diced celery
     1/4           cup  diced carrot
  1              clove  garlic -- minced
  1           teaspoon  oregano
  1         tablespoon  minced fresh basil
  3               cups  cooked quinoa -- up to 4
     1/2           cup  chopped kalamata olives
     1/4      teaspoon  salt
     1/8      teaspoon  cayenne pepper
  2                     red bell peppers -- halved and seeded
  2                     green bell peppers -- halved and seeded
  1                cup  marinara or tomato sauce

Preparation:

4 SERVINGS DAIRY-FREE With its colorful pepper halves, this make-ahead dish is pretty enough to serve to company. Preheat oven to 375 F. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add diced vegetables, garlic and herbs and cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add quinoa and olives and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add salt and cayenne pepper. Remove from heat. Partially cook peppers in a steamer 4 to 5 minutes. (Pepper halves can also be steamed in a microwave 2 to 3 minutes in a covered dish with 2 tablespoons water.) Fill pepper halves with quinoa mixture; place on a lightly greased baking dish. Top with marinara or tomato sauce. Add enough water to cover bottom of dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake until peppers are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. VARIATIONS: Add 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds to vegetable mixture. Top bell peppers with a slice of low-fat Monterey Jack or soy cheese in last 5 minutes of baking. Remove foil to brown cheese.

Nutritional Information:

307 Calories (kcal); 15g Total Fat; (39% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 44g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 583mg Sodium