Stuff peppers with this power-packed ingredient for a hearty yet simple meal

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When you take a look at the stuffed peppers pictured below, the oozing, melty cheese on top might make you hesitant to believe that they could be considered healthy, but who says you can't treat yourself when the rest of your meal delivers a super nutritious spread? Hear me out. 
What gives these stuffed peppers a healthy edge is their filling. The recipe comes from Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes, and she opted for a vegetarian recipe featuring quinoa and black beans as the filling. Were you to make stuffed peppers in a more classic way by using ground beef (or some other meat) you'd be consuming a lot more fat in your meal while also missing out on the nutritional benefits that come with quinoa's superfood status. 
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Quinoa is not only a low-fat food, but it is very high in fiber and protein (the black beans provide protein as well). It's actually considered a complete protein, meaning it provides all of the essential amino acids that we need but can only get from our diet. According to Authority Nutrition, quinoa also provides high quantities of four important minerals that many people are lacking in their diet: Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, and Iron. It's also high in antioxidants! 
With all those benefits, what's not to love about quinoa? 
Read on for an ingredients list and a link to the full recipe below.
The ingredients you'll need for this recipe are quite simple and have been listed out below for convenience: 
-1 cup uncooked quinoa (white or red or both)
-Salt
-6 large bell peppers, any color 
-15-ounce can black beans, drained
-4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, 2 cups for stuffing, 2 cups for topping
-3 to 4 green -onions, finely sliced
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
If you're a veggie lover, there's no reason you couldn't add even more to the recipe by tossing in things like corn, diced red onions, mushrooms, or even leafy greens like kale or spinach! Avocado would be a great topper for the finished peppers, as well, and they're full to bursting with even more nutritional benefits!
For Bauer's step-by-step instructions as well as some great additional suggestions, click here to head to the full recipe on Simply Recipes!
Don't they look wonderful once they're finished? 
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Would you be willing to swap out your favorite meat filling for this health-conscious quinoa alternative to stuffed peppers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to share this recipe idea if you loved it as much as we did!
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