The whole point of eating the rainbow is that different colored plants carry different beneficial compounds, and this recipe just happens to stuff a bunch of them into one edible bowl. Bell peppers in mixed colors bring their own spread of antioxidants, quinoa and black beans layer in fiber and resistant starch, and corn adds even more fermentable fiber for your gut bacteria to work with. It looks like a party on the plate, and your microbiome is invited too.
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers, mixed colors, tops cut off and seeded
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 cup cooked black beans
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
- 1/2 cup diced tomato
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Mix quinoa, black beans, corn, tomato, cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Stuff each pepper with the mixture and top with cheese.
- Place peppers upright in a baking dish with a small amount of water in the bottom, cover with foil, and bake 30 minutes.
- Uncover and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| Calories | 320 |
| Total fat | 9g |
| Total carbohydrates | 46g |
| Dietary fiber | 10g |
| Protein | 15g |
| Sodium | 350mg |
Why This Is Good for Your Gut
Black beans are packed with resistant starch and soluble fiber that feed beneficial bacteria and get fermented into gut-nourishing short-chain fatty acids. Bell peppers supply a range of polyphenols whose antioxidant benefits are partly unlocked by gut bacteria, and quinoa contributes both fiber and a complete plant protein to round out the meal.
Each pepper packs in a rainbow of plants, giving your gut more variety than it usually sees in a week — the same principle behind flexitarian eating.
This recipe is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
