“Rice” Stuffed Capsicums

These are a delicious accompaniment to your dinner, lunch or a great low carbohydrate snack that is still packed with flavour. The health benefits of capsicums start with vitamins A & C, which are responsible for the antioxidant fighting beta-carotene that gives them their different colours (green, yellow or red). These antioxidants can reduce the swelling in the arteries that leads to heart disease, diabetes and cholesterol build up. The folate and vitamin B6 contained in capsicums also help fight against heart disease.

2 cups chopped mushrooms
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped into big chunks
1 red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch basil, leaves chopped roughly, stems chopped finely
4 capsicum, tops removed and seeds pulled out
1 long red chilli, finely chopped and seeds removed (leave the seeds in if you like it hot)
1 tbs tomato paste
Handful baby spinach leaves
1 tsp Garam Marsala
1 tsp cumin
1 heaped tsp coconut oil or oil of your choice

Preheat oven to 180C (or 160c fan forced). In a food processor, pulse the raw cauliflower until it has the consistency of rice and set aside. In a hot frypan (no oil yet), add the cumin and Garam Marsala and cook until fragrant (about 2 mins). Add the tomato paste, onion, garlic, chilli and basil stems and coconut oil and cook until the onions are soft. You can add a dash of water if it gets too dry. Add spinach and basil leaves and cook until they start to wilt. Add cauliflower rice and cook for a few minutes until all ingredients are combined well and ‘rice’ is just starting to soften. Better to be a bit undercooked than overcooked as it will finish cooking in the oven. Remove from heat. Place hollowed out capsicums on a baking paper lined oven tray and spoon in rice mixture, pressing down and making sure they are full. Bake for about 30mins or until tops are browning and capsicums are cooked.