Peppers Stuffed with Bulgur, Nuts & Raisins

From EatingWell: March/April 1995 — Subscribe Now!

A nutty bulgur pilaf fills bright bell peppers. Make it a meal: Greek Revival Salad completes this vegetarian supper.

Peppers Stuffed with Bulgur, Nuts & Raisins Recipe

6 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

Stuffed Peppers

4 large bell peppers, in any color combination, cut in half lengthwise, stems, seeds and inner membranes removed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup dried currants, or raisins
10-12 sun-dried tomatoes, not packed in oil, snipped into thin strips
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup bulgur, (see Note)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley

Yogurt Sauce

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt, to taste

Preparation

To make the stuffed peppers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Plunge bell peppers into the boiling water and cook until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain, shaking out any water that may have accumulated in the cavities. Set the bell peppers, cut side up, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Heat oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in currants (or raisins) and sun-dried tomatoes to taste. Add broth, bulgur, cinnamon and allspice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the bulgur is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in pine nuts and season with salt and pepper.
Spoon the bulgur filling into the bell peppers. Bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro (or parsley).
To make the sauce: Stir together yogurt, garlic and salt. Serve alongside the bell peppers.

Tips & Notes

Note: Bulgur is made by parboiling, drying and coarsely grinding or cracking wheat berries. Don't confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which is simply that—cracked wheat. Since the parboiling step is skipped, cracked wheat must be cooked for up to an hour whereas bulgur simply needs a quick soak in hot water for most uses. Look for it in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets, near other grains, or online at kalustyans.com, lebaneseproducts.com.

Nutrition

Per serving: 230 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 1 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrates; 8 g protein; 8 g fiber; 287 mg sodium; 424 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (155% daily value), Vitamin A (23% dv), Magnesium (16% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 fat