Mind Over Matter

Hey everyone! I hope y’all have been doing well, we are now in Spring and waiting on that sunshine to bring back some LIFE. I’m starting to enjoy the Spring weather more as I make my way back to the skatepark soon. I actually have skated during the cold season (because I’m crazy like that), although it’s much more difficult.

Here’s a super simple recipe for beginners. It uses a special ingredient; arborio rice! What makes arborio rice so special? Well once cooked, it’s actually a bit creamy compared to other types of rice. Due to the high starch content, this gives it a bit of flavor and a creamy consistency which makes it much more enjoyable. Usually arborio is used in rice pudding but here we’ll have it for a delicious healthy dinner.

I am using 4 red bell peppers so the serving size will be 4, which is perfect for a day of left overs. If you are not eating dairy or are vegan, opt out of the feta cheese, that’s perfectly fine! I did not cook the rice with anything but water so no need to stress on that either. Also, I do rinse the rice with lukewarm water so it doesn’t come out too starchy.

Ingredients: Red bell peppers, feta cheese, arborio rice, Kalamata olives (preferably pitted), garlic and olive oil. Optional: Balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, cherry tomatoes, basil.

Step One: Pre-heat your oven to 400 F. Drizzle some olive oil in the pan. Wash the peppers and slice like so, removing the green stems. I keep the tops of the peppers and bake them as well. You can serve the peppers with or without the tops, up to you.

Step Two: Mince 3 – 4 cloves of garlic. Spread the minced garlic all through out the sliced peppers using your fingers. And also rub some olive oil on the outside and bottom of the peppers. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place into oven to bake for 25 minutes.

Step Three: Wash the arborio rice and place on stovetop to cook. I used about 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water. Keep an eye on this and stir once or twice. Check to see if all the water is absorbed and check the kernels to see if it’s still hard. If still hard, cook for another few mins and add a little more water.

Step Four: Place the arborio rice inside each red pepper and fill it up. Don’t be afraid to pack it in! Top it off with the Kalamata olives and sprinkle some feta cheese. If you like the optional ingredients you can use them as well!

This was my final dish, ready to serve! I love how that red pepper color POPS on the plate. Omg it was sooo good, I can’t wait for left overs. The best part is that everything on this plate is super healthy. I used Italian dressing for the salad by the way. So there you have it, a simple week night recipe and super quick! Enjoy!

Prep: 3 mins Cook: 25 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• 3 – 4 minced Garlic
• 4 Red Bell Peppers
• 1 cup Arborio Rice
• 2 cups Water
• Kalamata Olives
• Feta Cheese

Optional Ingredients:

• Lemon Juice
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Basil
• Cherry Tomatoes