Love It Or Try It Some More

Asparagus – used to hate it, now I love it.

Spinach – used to hate it, now I love it.

Fish – used to hate it, now I love it.

Um….see a pattern here? I’m not alone that in many cases things that you first try out and don’t like, you come to like and even love. If you are a coffee fanatic, think of your first bitter sip.

In a story on NPR, they looked at how that process happens to change an aversion into a preference. It often starts with some form of pressure to try and re-try an item. It could be your peers (have a cigarette), a celebrity (eat this cereal packed with bran) or your parents (you’ll eat what is on your plate). Eventually the aversion, through repeated exposure, can lead to acceptance and then even a preference. Check out the article here.

Peas and olives – used to hate them, now I still do!

Greek Orzo Stuffed Peppers

Most stuffed peppers I’ve had in the past were filled with ground meat. This is a great alternative.

I used to abhor spinach, now I love it.

Soften up the pepper.

Mash the chickpeas.

Cook the orzo.

Fry the onions.

And wilt the spinach.

Stuffed and ready for the oven.

Delicious!

Greek Orzo Stuffed Peppers

Prep Time: 40 min | Cook Time: 40 min

Ingredients:

4 yellow, orange and/or red bell peppers
1/2 cup whole-wheat orzo
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, (not oil-packed), chopped
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, or red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Halve peppers lengthwise through the stems, leaving the stems attached. Remove the seeds and white membrane. Place the peppers cut-side down in a large microwave-safe dish. Add 1/2 inch water, cover and microwave on High until the peppers are just softened, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool slightly, drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

3. Mash chickpeas into a chunky paste with a fork, leaving some whole.

4. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add spinach and oregano and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the orzo, chickpeas, 1/2 cup feta, tomatoes, vinegar and salt; cook until heated though, about 1 minute. Divide the filling among the pepper halves and sprinkle each pepper with some of the remaining 1/4 cup feta.

Nutritional Info: Per serving: 344 calories; 11 g fat (5 g sat, 4 g mono); 25 mg cholesterol; 48 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 11 g fiber; 656 mg sodium; 689 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (340% daily value), Vitamin A (130% dv), Folate (48% dv), Magnesium & Potassium (20% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2 1/2

Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 high-fat meat, 1 fat

Source: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/greek_orzo_stuffed_peppers.html