Hello and welcome to another easy recipe post.
But other than being an easy fix, this recipe has a tiny hidden ingredient which is brown and nutty in taste, a super-seed called Flax. I'm sure you have spotted this in the supermarket and wondered what it was. Consuming flax is not as simple as just popping a teaspoon in your mouth and swallowing it like medicines. Unless you chew flax seeds well enough or grind it, they offer no benefits to your body. That's why I use freshly powdered flax seeds. Another important factor is, consuming loads of water if you plan on eating flax seeds daily.
The benefits of Flax are plenty- they are cholesterol free, are a good source of fibre, aid in digestion, prevent constipation and helps reduce hunger, have protein, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, omega 3 (alpha-linolenic acid), lignin and mucilage. A single tablespoon of ground flax seed provides about 1,600 mg of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, more than three times the daily minimum value. It's also good for the skin, hair, cancer prevention and enables weight-loss.
Sprinkle flax powder on soups, salads, add them to smoothies or like I have shown in this recipe, just add them to your regular food, you will never notice any taste difference. Flax oil is also available in any healthy food store, but trust me, it's not an easy task trying to down the oil. Hope you enjoy this delicious recipe, one is a veggie version and one is with Tuna. And do try other innovative ways to get your daily intake of flax.
Ingredients
6 large bell peppers or 12 small sweet peppers
Stuffing 1- Cheese Stuffed Peppers
1/2 Cup Egyptian Mish Cheese (or cream cheese)
1/2 cup Greek or regular yogurt
2 tbsp finely chopped bell peppers
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp flax seeds
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt (optional)
1/4 cup chopped green or black olives
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley (for garnish)
Wash, clean and dry the bell peppers and cut them in half, clean up the insides and de-seed.
Mix all the stuffing ingredients, scoop and fill into the cavity of each bell pepper, serve them on a platter and garnish with more parsley.
Stuffing 2- Tuna Stuffed Peppers
185 grams canned or cooked tuna
2 heaped tbsp Mayo
2-3 heaped tbsp Greek or regular yogurt
1/2 cup pre-cooked sweet corn
1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
6 finely chopped walnuts
1 tbsp finely chopped bell peppers (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp flax seeds
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt (optional)
Wash, clean and dry the bell peppers and cut them in half, clean up the insides and de-seed. Drain the tuna (if it's the canned version) and mash the Tuna meat well, you can use a fork for this. Mix all the stuffing ingredients along with the mashed tuna. Scoop and fill into the cavity of each bell pepper, serve them on a platter and garnish with more parsley.
Tip- This is a very simple recipe, and you can improvise with other ingredient you have with you like Jalapeño peppers, capers and other veggies. If you don't have Tuna, try steamed- flaked Salmon or blanched- chopped shrimps. The salt is not even necessary for this recipe, do have a taste check to understand if it's really needed, as Mayo and cream cheese have enough salt content. The flax adds nothing to change the flavor of the dish, so no need to worry. Those with Dairy or Lactose allergy (or on a pure Paleo diet) can try vegan options like Coconut Yogurt and dairy free cheese. In case you have left over stuffing, you can add it a cup of fresh cut salad veggies and it makes a scrumptious salad idea.