Many of you often ask us if we ever eat meat.  While we don’t rely on meat as our primary source of protein, we do occasionally eat bison, beef, chicken, or fish.  One of the main reasons we don’t eat much meat is because we are extremely particular about the source from which it comes and the quality of the meat itself.  When we eat bison or beef, we prefer that it is grass-fed organic as opposed to grain or corn-fed.  If we eat chicken (or their eggs), it’s free-range, organic.  If fish is on the menu, we prefer wild not farm-raised.  We may go for weeks at a time with no meat whatsoever, then we’ll get into a routine of having it once a week.  Stuffed bell peppers is something that I cook when we’re on a meat kick.  It’s quick and easy to prepare and is even more delicious the next day if you’re lucky enough to have some left over.  That rarely happens in our house!

Ingredients:   

• 4-6 green bell peppers, stems and seeds removed (see photo below)
• 1 lb ground bison (beef or turkey)
• 1/2 cup black olives, finely diced
• 1/2 cup brown basmati rice (or quinoa)
• 2-3 garlic cloves, diced
• 1/2 cup raw cheddar cheese, grated (plus more for topping)
• 2  15 oz cans/jars of tomato sauce (plus 2-3 cans of water)
• sea salt & pepper to taste
  *optional: a dash or two of Bragg’s liquid amino for added flavor

1. Prepare your peppers & arrange them in a pot large enough to make sure they will stand upright side by side while cooking.
2. Prepare your meat stuffing by combining the bison, olives, rice, garlic, cheese, & 1 can of tomato sauce.  You can use a spoon or masher to blend everything thoroughly, but I use my favorite tool: my hands.
3. Add the seasonings to taste.  If you’re unsure, remember you can always add more salt when they are finished.
4. Stuff the peppers and arrange them in the pot. 
5. Pour the other can of tomato sauce all over and around the peppers. 
6. Add 2-3 cans of water just until the peppers are 3/4 covered.
7. Place the pot on the stove, covered, and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to simmer for 45 minutes-1 hour until meat and rice are thoroughly cooked.
8. Serve with freshly grated cheese on top.