24 Dec A Healthy Holiday Recipe Gift For You

The holidays are here and Rebel is gifting three healthy and delicious recipes crafted by our High School Student Crew. We know that winter breaks are often filled with delicious food, but this winter we want to help reduce the guilt by replacing some of those delicious favorites with alternative, nutrient-packed versions.

For our featured entree, Stuffed Peppers, we replaced ground beef with brown lentils, adding 19 grams of fiber to the dish. We created a healthy, easy to make Garlic Tahini String Bean side dish, that will make a great replacement for the holiday classic String Bean Casserole. Then to top it off, we added our Vegetable Chocolate Sauce recipe that will be a nutritious addition to your favorite desserts.

Each recipe is something the Rebel Crew has enjoyed making and eating, of course. From Rebel to you we hope that these recipes are a new enjoyment at the dinner table for your family during the holidays.

ENTREE

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

Lentils

• 1 ½ cups lentils
• 3 cups water
• 1  low sodium veggie bouillon cube
  

Rice

• 1 ½ cups rice
• 3 cups water

Broth

• 1 low sodium veggie bouillon cube
• 3 cups water

Vegetables & Seasonings

• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tomatoes, medium diced
• 10 bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise (leave the tops on to keep the rice and lentil mixture inside the pepper while baking) 
• 6 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced, set aside 3 tablespoons for garnish
• 1 tablespoon chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus ½ tablespoon for peppers 
• ½ teaspoon black pepper ground, plus ½ tablespoon for peppers
• 3 tablespoons olive oil for sauteing,  plus as needed for peppers 

Instructions:

• Lentils. Measure out 1 ½ cups. Pour lentils into a strainer and rinse under cold running water and remove rocks or anything that does not look like a lentil. Place the clean lentils into a medium pot and the 3 cups of water. Crumble the low sodium garden veggie bouillon cube into the pot of lentils. Place on medium high heat and bring to a boil. Once the lentils come to a boil, bring to low heat and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender (they should smash easily when pressed with a spoon). Turn off the heat and set aside. 
• Rice. Measure out 1 ½ cup of rice into a strainer. Rinse the rice under cold running water with a bowl underneath the strainer, pouring the water out as it fills the bowl. Rinse until the water in the bowl becomes clear. Place the rice in a medium pot and cover with 2 cups of water. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, cover the rice, and decrease the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed by the rice. Turn off the heat and set aside. 
• Broth. Take one cube of the low sodium garden veggie bouillon and crumble it into small pieces. Place the crumbled cube into a medium pot and add 3 cups of water to the pot. Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil. Turn off the heat and set aside. 
• Preheat oven to 425℉
• Prepare the onions, garlic, tomatoes, bell peppers, and parsley as instructed on the ingredients list. 
• In a small bowl, prepare your seasonings. Measure out the chili powder, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. 
• Once you have everything ready, the stuffing and the roasting of the bell peppers can begin. 
• Place the bell peppers on a sheet tray and rub both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon black pepper and 1/2 tablespoon salt over the peppers. roast them in an oven that is set to 425℉ for 15 minutes. 
• As the peppers are roasting start by making the stuffing. Place a large saute pan over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. 
• Once the oil is hot enough, about 30 seconds, add the onion and saute until translucent about 5 minutes (onion should look clear, not opaque). 
• Add in the garlic and cook until it is aromatic, (should smell like garlicky). Add in the tomato and cook for five minutes. 
• Add in your seasoning mix, rice, lentils, and broth. Stir to combine. Cook until liquid is evaporated and lentils are tender. Remove from heat and set aside. 
• Remove peppers from the oven and fill with the lentil mixture. Place back into the oven for 10 minutes. 
• After the 10 minutes, remove from over. Top with your favorite cheese, if desired, and serve.

SIDE DISH

_TAHINI GARLIC GREEN BEANS

Ingredients:

• 1 lb green beans, trimmed and washed
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp tahini
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp warm water
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp dried chili flakes
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp olive oil

Instructions:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  
• Add green beans, let boil for 1 minute to blanch. Drain and set aside.
• In a bowl, whisk together the dijon mustard, tahini, nutritional yeast, water, garlic powder, chili flakes, and sea salt until smooth and combined. Set aside.
• Preheat a large pan over medium with olive oil. Add the blanched green beans and drizzle the sauce on top. Quickly stir and mix beans until they’re coated. Cook until the beans for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and serve immediately. 

DESSERT

Vegetable Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 medium potato
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1-1.5 cups Water (used boiled veggie water, start with 1 cup, and add as needed)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 4 Tbsp cocoa powder (in addition to above)
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. 
• Wash and scrub both potatoes and sweet potatoes. Peel and chop into uniform pieces.
• Place in boiling water for 15 minutes, or until fork-tender. 
• Let rest for 5 minutes and then with a slotted spoon, transfer the veggies to your blender
• Add 1/2 cup potato water and pulse to mix
• Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. 
• Serve on top of your favorite desert. We love it with our Banana Whips!