This version of stuffed bell peppers is vegetarian friendly and also satisfies my friends who avoid lactose and gluten.

• 1 Cup cooked quinoa
• 4 large red bell peppers
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
• 4-8 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 Tomatoes (vine ripened or Roma)

Cut tomatoes into 8 wedges each. Scatter the Kosher salt over a covered work surface then dredge the tomato chunks in the salt, using all the salt.  Halve and seed peppers.  Fill each pepper half with 2 Tablespoons of cooked quinoa, topped by wedges of salted tomatoes (about 3-4 for each pepper).  Place in a roasting dish, then continue to fill peppers in this way:  Cut garlic into thin slices and add 3-4 slices to each pepper half.  Add  1/2-1 tablespoon olive oil to each stuffed pepper half and season with black pepper.  Cook 1 hour at 350 degrees F.

Adapted from a roasted red pepper recipe by Bev Wright – Carlyn’s “gourmet-chef-at-home” friend from the Cotswolds (UK), transplanted to Los Angeles via Seattle.