We went on our first camping trip in five years this past weekend. It was our first trip with a baby, and our first trip as full-vegetarians. I scoured the internet for food ideas most of which revolved around highly processed veggie burgers and fake soy cheese. I was looking for healthier whole food options. I finally googled "Foil and vegetarian" and came across some decent options. My favorite meal of the trip was our Polenta stuffed peppers. I "veganized" a recipe to the following. I tried this recipe both at home in the oven and on the campfire, both methods of cooking produced very palatable results. I hope you enjoy!
Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 cup polenta/corn grits
1 medium onion chopped coarsely
2-3 cloves garlic - minced
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms (fresh is best!)
2 cans diced tomatoes
4 cored and seeded green peppers sliced lengthwise***
fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil
***Purchase organic if possible. Peppers are one of the "dirtiest" conventional produce items.
Preparation instructions:
In a small saucepan heat 3 cups water until boiling. Add polenta. Cook for instructed amount of time for your variety of polenta. Meanwhile in a medium skillet heat a small amount of olive oil and saute the onion and garlic. Add mushrooms and a can of diced tomatoes. When polenta is cooked fold vegetable mixture into the polenta and add your salt.
Fill your cored peppers with the polenta/veggie mix. Pour the remaining can of diced tomatoes into the bottom of a baking dish, sprinkle fresh basil into the tomatoes and nestle peppers face-up in the pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Then uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Mix-it-up: I think almost any veggie would be good in these peppers. Asparagus comes to mind as a particularly tasty option. Use what's in season!
Campfire variation:
If preparing ahead of time you can fill your peppers, put them "back together" and wrap tightly with foil. Put all wrapped peppers in a large plastic bag and keep on ice in the cooler. At camp pour tomatoes and basil in a disposable foil pan, add peppers and cover with foil. Cook on the grid of campfire pit. Add a little extra liquid to the pan when cooking over a fire and expect the cook time to go faster. Check frequently. I found that cooking further with the foil removed was not necessary.
Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 cup polenta/corn grits
1 medium onion chopped coarsely
2-3 cloves garlic - minced
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms (fresh is best!)
2 cans diced tomatoes
4 cored and seeded green peppers sliced lengthwise***
fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil
***Purchase organic if possible. Peppers are one of the "dirtiest" conventional produce items.
Preparation instructions:
In a small saucepan heat 3 cups water until boiling. Add polenta. Cook for instructed amount of time for your variety of polenta. Meanwhile in a medium skillet heat a small amount of olive oil and saute the onion and garlic. Add mushrooms and a can of diced tomatoes. When polenta is cooked fold vegetable mixture into the polenta and add your salt.
Fill your cored peppers with the polenta/veggie mix. Pour the remaining can of diced tomatoes into the bottom of a baking dish, sprinkle fresh basil into the tomatoes and nestle peppers face-up in the pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Then uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Mix-it-up: I think almost any veggie would be good in these peppers. Asparagus comes to mind as a particularly tasty option. Use what's in season!
Campfire variation:
If preparing ahead of time you can fill your peppers, put them "back together" and wrap tightly with foil. Put all wrapped peppers in a large plastic bag and keep on ice in the cooler. At camp pour tomatoes and basil in a disposable foil pan, add peppers and cover with foil. Cook on the grid of campfire pit. Add a little extra liquid to the pan when cooking over a fire and expect the cook time to go faster. Check frequently. I found that cooking further with the foil removed was not necessary.
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