GardenCuizine: Lentils

Friday, June 5, 2026

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Lentils

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

2-4 Bell Peppers- we used 2 red

1 cup green lentils

bell pepper tops, chopped

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1 cup cooked quinoa

shredded cheese

olive oil

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

pinch salt & pepper

chopped parsley or cilantro - optional

This recipe was inspired by our Dome air fryer cookbook. We kept the stuffed peppers vegetarian, but you could combine lentils with cooked ground turkey or beef; we combined the lentils with cooked quinoa. It was really delicious and good enough for company. We will make this again for sure!

This is a GardenCuizine freestyle recipe, meaning the amount of quinoa, lentils and chopped veggies and spices that you add is up to you; use whatever amount that you want or have available.

Lentils are a sustainable food, meaning they are environment and climate-friendly.
Lentils are affordable: only 15 to 30 cents per serving!
Lentils are a nutritious source of protein.

Putting it all together

Prep the peppers: rinse the peppers and cut off the tops; remove the stem, chop the rest. Scoop out the seeds; set aside.
Cook the lentils: rinse them first in a handheld strainer; put in a pot with 3 cups of water add a few bay leaves. I used 4 bay leaves since we have so many dried bay leaves from our potted bay laurel tree. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until tender, but not overcooked soft; about 15 minutes. Remove cover, take off the heat and set aside.
Cook quinoa: you don't need much; we used leftovers since it stores well in the refrigerator. No set amount, just enough to combine with your lentils; about 1 cup.
Sauté the filling: add small amount of olive oil to your skillet and sauté the onion until lightly brown and transparent, stir in the garlic and seasonings of your choice. Harry used smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt and pepper.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes; using a slotted spoon add a spoons of cooked lentils. Add some quinoa; combine everything together then fill your peppers.
Top with shredded cheese. Note if your peppers are tall they may not fit in an air fryer. We had to cut off the top third of our peppers after they were filled! Topped with cheese and it worked!
Cook: bake or roast at 375 deg. in preheated air fryer 12-15 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden brown.
Serve warm with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or cilantro.

Enjoy!

Related Links

Climate-friendly Lentils

Lentil Recipes, Health and Nutrition

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Lentils, Beans and Peas in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Legumes - Plant-based Protein

The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) are underway! Nutrition experts on the DGA Advisory Board have been busy over the past few years with researching the updates that aim to promote better health to prevent disease. The DGA gets updated every five years by the US government's Health and Human Services and the US Department of Agriculture. Public comments have already been received. In fact, they received the most comments ever so far in DGA history with greater than 9,900 comments to date. Another public comment period is still open until February 10, 2025.

At the DGA last recorded meeting in 2024, the nutrition team were discussing considerations for reclassification of beans, lentils and peas from the vegetable subgroup to either their own category or perhaps to the protein food group. Personally, I think the shift to the protein food group in MyPlate would be good because it will highlight plant-based protein options.

Legumes like beans, lentils and peas are full of vitamins and minerals, especially iron, zinc, potassium, folate and dietary fiber. Legumes are also known to be sustainable foods, which is helpful for the environment; a win for public health and a win for the planet!

Below is a video about the many varieties of lentils that can add nutrition to your meals.

#haveaplant