Easy & Delish Stuffed Tex Mex Pepper Casserole

 

• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 1/2 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth
• 1 - 14.5 oz. can Italian style petite diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups dry lentils
• 1 cup dry brown rice
• 1 - 14.5 oz. can corn, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp. chopped green chiles
• 2 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1 cup shredded non-dairy vegan cheese (or use regular dairy cheese)

Preheat oven to 400F.  Spray a 9x13" glass baking dish with avocado oil spray.

In a small sauce pan, mix the tomato sauce, broth, diced tomatoes, cumin, Italian seasoning and chili powder.  Cover and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, add the onion, bell peppers, lentils, rice, corn, green chiles and garlic to the baking dish mix everything together. 

Pour the boiling seasoned broth and tomatoes over the top.  Cover the dish with foil and pop into the oven for one hour.  Check the rice and lentils and re-cover and put back into the oven, if not fully cooked, for 20 more minutes.

Remove dish from the oven, uncover and stir well.  

Turn the oven on broil.  Sprinkle cheese over the top and pop it back into the oven for 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted - be sure to keep an eye on it under the broiler!

Serve with toppings such as a dollop of vegan sour cream and fresh avocado chunks. Yields 6-8 servings.

YUM!