Couscous Veggie Stuffed Peppers

The stuffed peppers were a huge success, as was our engagement announcement :o) Normally I make the peppers using quinoa, but right as I started cooking, I realized we've only got maybe a 1/4 cup of red quinoa left. Whoops! So I improvised and below is the recipe for what turned out to be some really stellar stuffed peppers. Enjoy!

Christi's Couscous Veggie Stuffed Peppers
4 large red or yellow bell peppers, tops removed and centers cleaned out
1 cup couscous
1 1/2 cups veggie stock
olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 cup crimini mushrooms, chopped
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 zucchini, diced
1/2 cup veggie stock
1/2 cup textured vegetable protein (TVP)
1 cup mild-hot salsa
Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350.
In a pot, boil the 1 1/2 cups veggie stock, add the couscous, cover and remove from heat.
In a skillet, heat olive oil and add onion and mushrooms, sauteing until soft. Add shredded carrot and zucchini and cook.

Heat 1/2 cup veggie stock in a bowl in the microwave, then add the TVP. Allow the TVP to absorb the liquid. Add salsa to veggie mixture in the skillet. Then add TVP and couscous. Add more salsa or veggie stock if they mixture is too dry.

Spoon the mixture into the peppers and place peppers in a baking pan. Bake for one hour; check the peppers after 30 mins, adding a little veggie stock to the base of the pan and to the tops of each pepper. When finished, peppers will be softened, but not mushy. When they start to pucker a little - it's done!