Healthy Vegetable and Couscous Stuffed Peppers

This was quite nice! A bit involved to make and takes a long time so be sure to plan ahead like 2 hours for prep, baking, and cooling (it tastes better when it’s cooled a bit longer). But I really liked the couscous mixture. And the feta was particularly nice, I added more on top. I had to add water to cook the couscous, either my tomato cans had less liquid than most or I didn’t drain them enough, but it didn’t impact the flavor. The tomato sauce mixture on the other hand was on the bland side, so I’d increase the spices there. We didn’t have a Dutch oven but used a cast iron and covered it in to foil. Worked just fine! Would make for guests. Update: super great for lunches! Pop it in the airfryer for 15 minutes on reheat, very satisfying!

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, zucchini, half the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high, stir in the couscous mixture and simmer rapidly, stirring frequently, until the couscous is just al dente and the liquid is beginning to thicken, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook, adjusting the heat if necessary, until the leaves are bright green and just beginning to wilt, about 30 seconds. Set the filling aside to cool slightly. To make the sauce, combine the remaining garlic and olive oil in a Dutch oven, add the chile flakes if using and stir to combine. Place the pot over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally at first then more frequently as the oil starts to sizzle to prevent the garlic from burning, until the garlic starts to stick to the edge of the spoon and is just beginning to turn a very pale straw color, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the reserved drained tomatoes plus any accumulated juices, 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture just begins to come together and thicken, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. 

Recipe calls for 2 28 ounce cans, must be a typo. Way too many tomatoes.