This is the first time posting a recipe my mom shared with me. In Romania, Stuffed peppers or stuffed cabbage rolls are traditionally not plant-based, but pork-based. In Greece, they serve gemista which is veggies stuffed peppers and tomatoes (I used to have this every day during my trip to Paros).

Our recipe has simple, whole food plant based ingredients, being packed with veggies and walnuts. This combination has quite a “meaty” texture which makes it very filling.

Before you read the recipe below, please check my tips:

• Make sure to use a 5L (or bigger) soup pot;

• After you wash and deseed the peppers, try to arrange them in a circle on the top of the pot, checking how many peppers fit in one single layer (see attached photo); I managed to fit 5 peppers in my pot and froze the rest of the stuffing for next time;

• Ensure all peppers have similar sizes;

• A porcelain plate on top of the pot will keep the peppers in check, assuring they simmer, releasing all the good stuff;

• If you are allergic to nuts, swap the walnuts with green lentils;

• If you don’t like white rice, you can try stuffing the peppers with wholegrain rice; just leave the mixture on the stove for longer;

• If you have any stuffing left, freeze it and use it next time by stuffing some other peppers, tomatoes, courgettes or aubergines;

• The best way to know if your peppers are done is to taste them; if the rice (or lentils, if using) is done, your peppers are good to go.

This is a recipe I hold dear to my heart. Both my partner and I love it!

Let me know if you try it and what you think!

With gratitude,

Diana x

“Meaty“ Walnut Stuffed Peppers

Yields - 8 medium sized stuffed peppers

Ingredients

• 8 medium sized peppers, deseeded

• 3 medium carrots, finely chopped

• 3 celery stalks, finely chopped

• 1 big brown onion, finely chopped,

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 400 ml tomato passata

• 1 ½ cups arborio rice

• 1 ½ cups ground walnuts

• 3 medium tomatoes, sliced

• 300gr white cabbage, shredded (about ½ medium cabbage)

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• Water to cover the peppers

• Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion and saute them for 3-4 min, mixing often with a wooden spoon, making sure it does not burn.

2. Add the tomato paste and cook 1min extra. Add the rice, walnuts and mix it well with the carrots, onion and celery.

3. Pour the tomato passata on top, season it with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer for 5min.

4. While the stuffing is cooked, wash and deseed the peppers. Shred the white cabbage.

5. Take a big pot and pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the base of the pot with white cabbage so you’re not seeing the bottom of the pot anymore (like 1-2cm of cabbage, if it makes sense).

6. With a spoon, fill the peppers with the stuffing until they are 90% full. Top it up with 1-2 tomato slices (depending how wide are the peppers). Continue until you stuff all the peppers that fit into the pot (read the tips above why).

7. Cover the stuffed peppers with shredded white cabbage. Add enough water so the peppers are covered. Place a heat resistant porcelain plate on top to keep everything in place during cooking.

8. Bring the pot to boil on high heat. After starting to boil, turn to medium-low heat and let them cook for about 50min-1h. After 50min, check if the stuffed peppers are cooked by tasting team (read the tips above why).