Shrimp and Quinoa Stuffed Poblanos

I love chile rellenos and will order them whenever I spot one on a menu. But, they aren't exactly the healthiest since they are battered and deep fried with lots of cheese and sometimes fatty chorizo (oh so good). This is a healthy make-at-home spin on my favorite. I use fresh veggies and whole grains and bake them in a smoky tomato and roasted red pepper sauce.  You could use any veggies your have in the fridge or any leftover whole grains from a dinner early in the week.  Also, you could always skip the shrimp and do chicken or lean ground beef.

Ingredients:

-5-6 poblano peppers

-2 cups of cooked quinoa or other whole grain

-1 cup corn (thawed from frozen or canned)

-1 cup white onion, chopped

-1 cup zucchini, chopped

-1 cup tomato, chopped 

-1 cup cooked shrimp

-handful cilantro, roughly chopped

-1/2 cup cotija or other white cheese

-1 can fire roasted tomatoes
-1/2 jar roasted red peppers, drained




If you haven't already cooked your quinoa and chopped your veggies, do it now.  Also, you can either use cooked shrimp or you can poach your own shrimp. Here's another tip: don't worry about shrimp size, because you'll end up chopping it anyways.  Save some money and get smaller shrimp.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Now we have to roast the poblanos.  I've made the mistake of over-roasting the peppers many times, which turns them into mush and will be far from 'stuffable'.  You can roast the poblanos on a grill, gas stove or any open flame. I bet a torch would event work. Turn the peppers with tongs until they are evenly roasted and the skin is black and bubbly.  Throw them in the a gallon bag and seal for a couple of minutes.  Remove the peppers from the bag and slide the skins off (over the sink is best).  Slice open one edge of the pepper and remove the seeds. Do this to each pepper and set aside. 

In a large saucepan, sweat the onions over medium-high heat until fragrant and translucent, not browned.  Add the zucchini and saute for a few minutes until soft, then add the tomatoes and corn.  Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the roughly chopped and cooked shrimp, quinoa, roughly chopped cilantro and all but a couple tablespoons of the cotija cheese. Eat a spoonful of the mixture to test the flavor.  Add more salt and pepper if needed or your favorite Mexican spice blend.

In a blender or food processor blend together the can of fire roasted tomatoes and about 1/2 jar of roasted red peppers (without the liquid). This is the sauce for your peppers.  Pour the sauce in an baking dish or oven-proof skillet. Perfect for a cast iron skillet. 

Stuff the peppers with the quinoa and veggie mixture and place on top of the sauce.  Top with a sprinkle of cojita cheese. Bake the peppers for 15-20 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese has melted. Serve immediately!

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