Gossip Worthy Monday: Healthy Edition

The non-stop dessert of late is amazing.  However, we are starting to feel slobbish.  So, we decided to try a healthier meal for Gossip Girl this week.  We're both super busy and couldn't coordinate, so we did our own lovely things: stuffed peppers and split pea soup!

My version: (Vegan) Quinoa Stuffed Orange Peppers

For some reason, whenever I think "healthy," I think stuffed peppers.  Work with me.

Ingredients:

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- 2 orange peppers

- 1 green pepper

- 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)

- 1/2 a sweet onion

- 2 cloves garlic

- 3/4 cup (chopped) mushrooms

- 1/4 cup (chopped) carrots

- 1/2 cup fresh parsley

- 3 handfuls baby spinach

- 1/4 cup ground nuts (I used cashews)

- A few shakes cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper (all to taste)

- Soy sauce! (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Cook the quinoa: boil two cups water and one cup quinoa.  Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 10-15 minutes (just like rice).

2. Grab a few bowls and start chopping: the green pepper, the onion, the mushrooms, the carrots, and the parsley.  Minch your garlic!

3. Grab a saucepan and throw in 1-2 tablespoons of oil (over medium heat).  Once warmed, toss in the onion and garlic.  Cook until transparent.  

4. Toss in the garlic, and continue to saute.

5. The mushrooms, pepper, and carrots go in next!  Continue to saute.

6.  Mix in the parsley.  Throw in one handful spinach at a time (unless you have a huge saucepan, then toss it all in!  Go for it!), and allow to wilt down to make room for the rest.  Continue to saute.

7.  Shake in your spices, nuts, and finally the cooked quinoa.  Stir, and lower heat.

8. Cut off the tops of your orange peppers, and core the insides.  Fill with filling (you'll get 4-6 full peppers), and top with it's hat.

9. Cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour.

10. Once finished, either enjoy OR be a little less healthy and put on a ton of soy sauce before enjoying! I tried!:)

Chelsea's version: (Vegan) Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- 1/4 cup safflower oil

- 1 yellow onion, chopped

- 2 stalks celery, chopped

- 1 pound split peas

- 2 carrots, chopped

- 1/4 cup white wine

- Water

- A few shakes dried marjoram, basil, salt, and pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Grab a saucepan, and saute the onions over medium heat until transparent.  

2. Add the celery next, and saute for another few minutes.

3. Add water to fill pan halfway, and raise heat to boil.

4. Add spices, split peas, and carrots, and boil for about one hour (until peas are softened).

5.  Add white wine, and cook down for at least one more hour.

:) !

Can I take this time to express my anger at the fact that Gossip Girl is on hiatus until JANUARY 24TH??!  Boooooooooooo.