Riz gras, or deconstructed stuffed peppers

This vibrant African dinner tastes a bit like delicious stuffed peppers to me.

The peppers are blended into the sauce instead of being left whole, and the rice, plant-based meat, other veggies and spices round out the meal.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!


Ingredients

  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 onion
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pound plant-based ground meat (Gardein is gluten-free)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Tbsp tamari
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 cup short-grain brown rice
  • Cauliflower, spinach, or whatever other veggies you have on hand
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a blender or food processor, blend the peppers, garlic cloves, onion, and tomatoes. Set aside.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the plant-based ground meat, then add the blended veggies and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the water, tamari, nutritional yeast, thyme, turmeric, and rice. You can also toss in any veggies that need cooking now, like cauliflower.

Season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 1 hour until the rice is cooked, stirring every so often so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

Finally, stir in any veggies that don’t need cooking, like spinach. Enjoy hot!


Inspiration

“The path through trouble

is always made

a step at a time,

a breath at a time,

a day at a time.” – Meditation teacher Jack Kornfield

May your day, steps, and breaths help you lovingly through your day today.

Chef Maitri Carmichael brings a creative and peaceful energy to every plate. She grew up in Toronto with a British Grandma and an Italian Nonna who showed their love through food, then she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area for 15 years, spending her free time at community farms and zen kitchens. Originally a scientist and biotech entrepreneur, she graduated from the Vegan Chef School in London (2021) and the Raw Food Culinary Academy in Vancouver (2023), and is now settled in Hawaii.

7 responses to “Riz gras, or deconstructed stuffed peppers”

  1. maitricookswithlove Avatar

    Delicious and nutritious!

  2. maitricooksnewlife Avatar

    Instagram comment from Mary: ❤️🔥

  3. maitricooksnewlife Avatar

    Facebook comment from Virginie: That looks delicious 😋

  4. maitricooksnewlife Avatar

    LinkedIn comment from Gwenlyn: We’re cooking this right now! Adapted to Instant Pot.

    1. maitricooksnewlife Avatar

      Amazing! I hope you love it! 😍

  5. maitricooksnewlife Avatar

    LinkedIn comment from Agridient: Your description has my taste buds tingling! Blending the peppers into the sauce sounds like a fantastic twist on a classic stuffed pepper dish. The combination of rice, plant-based meat, veggies, and spices creates a symphony of flavors that’s hard to resist.

    1. maitricooksnewlife Avatar

      @agridient Thank you! Tingling taste buds are fun. 😋

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