Beauty Detox: Rainbow Peppers

Do you look down at your food sometimes and feel uninspired? Eating bland, dull-looking food not only looks and tastes boring, but it's also not that good for you. Colorful fruits and vegetables (and dishes that contain lots of them) look delicious and are actually better for you. Eating jewel-toned food means you're putting a wide range of nutrients and antioxidants into your body—so you get brighter, more vibrant skin. Peppers are great examples of bright vegetables, and this week celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder uses them in her recipe for rainbow stuffed peppers. “This recipe makes for one colorful dish that will help your skin look more radiant and beautiful," says Kim. “The various vegetables—peppers, broccoli, kale, and carrots—are packed with minerals and loads of other phytonutrients. The beauty grain quinoa, full of amino acids to build muscle and repair tissue, is also a great addition to the dish. This is good for dinner or lunch, eaten along with a salad."

Rainbow Stuffed Peppers

1. ¾ cup dry quinoa

2. 6 red, yellow, orange, or green peppers

3. 1½ cups water

4. 6 garlic cloves

5. 2 to 3 Tbsp raw coconut oil

6. 1 medium white onion, chopped

7. 2 cups broccoli florets

8. 4 cups finely chopped kale

9. 2 medium carrots, diced

10. 1 cup minced basil, plus extra for garnish

11. 2 tsp Celtic or Himalayan sea salt

Directions:

Soak the quinoa in water overnight, and rinse well before using. Make an incision at the rounded top of each pepper, about 1 to 1½ inches from the stem. Cut all around the stem in an even circle. Pull out the stem and the seeds. Discard the stem and seeds, and save the rest of the pepper top to chop and add to the filling. If necessary, clean out any remaining seeds from inside the pepper and discard.

Place water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the quinoa, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent and soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the water from the quinoa, then set quinoa aside in a bowl.

Sauté the garlic in the coconut oil until gently cooked, then add the onions, and stir until they become translucent. Add the broccoli, kale, carrot, chopped pepper tops, and basil, and cook gently for a few minutes. Add the sea salt until well combined, then add the cooked quinoa and mix everything together. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. The mixture should taste slightly saltier than you normally prefer, as it will be less concentrated when you stuff the plain bell peppers. Once you are satisfied with your filling, spoon it into each pepper, right to the top.

Place the peppers tightly together in a glass baking dish so they remain upright. Bake at 350ºF  for 45 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil just before serving.

 [Kimberly Snyder]4 is a Los Angeles-based celebrity nutritionist and author of The Beauty Detox Solution. She began her work after journeying through 50 countries and six continents, learning about health and beauty from many different cultures. With a philosophy rooted in the belief that outer beauty is a reflection of inner health, Kim now works with clients such as Hilary Duff, Olivia Wilde, and Drew Barrymore. Get lots of health and beauty tips by following her on Twitter at @kimsbeautydetox.