Stuffed Red Peppers with Wild Rice, Spinach and Goat Cheese

A few weeks ago red peppers were on sale pretty cheap so I had my husband bring me home a huge bag of them.  We go through a lot of red peppers around here.  I love them in my salads, with hummus or in stir-fries and they're a veggie my kids will actually eat and enjoy! But even with as often as we eat them, I still had some leftover that would take more than a salad to finish.

Stuffed peppers have been on my list to make forever!  I've even had the wild rice sitting in my pantry just waiting to be used.  Actually, the night I made these I was planning on making lasagna rolls with a similar flavor profile but a light bulb went off at the last minute.

I'm glad I followed my gut on this one and went with the stuffed pepper idea.  They were so delicious!!  My favorite part...the goat cheese. 

Stuffed Red Peppers with Wild Rice, Spinach and Goat Cheese
1 cup wild rice
3 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
3 large red peppers (or 4 medium for smaller portions)
1/2 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 10-oz bag baby spinach
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. dried oregano
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
4 oz. goat cheese
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Prepare rice ahead of time; about an hour.   Bring to boil 3 cups reduced sodium chicken stock.  Add rice, reduce heat and cover.  Cook for 45-50 minutes. Uncover and fluff with fork.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Halve bell peppers and lay them on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with a pinch os sea salt and bake for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and onions. Sauté about 10 minutes or until tender and slightly golden. Add garlic during last 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it.  Remove from heat and add tomatoes and spinach.  Stir to combine and just wilt the spinach.  Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until incorporated.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper  as necessary.

Spoon mixture into peppers halves and sprinkle with pecans. Bake uncovered about 20-25 minutes, until peppers are tender.

Serve warm.