Stuffed Bell Pepper Jack-o’-Lanterns

Makes 5 Stuffed Bell Pepper Jack-o’-Lanterns – Serves 5 – Prep time: 85 minutes – Cook time: 70 minutes

Have you ever been carving a pumpkin, and then thought, “Gee, I wish I could eat this.” Do you love carving pumpkins, but don’t love all the mess that comes along with it? Well then, I have the solution for you: carve stuffed bell pepper jack-o’-lanterns this Halloween instead!

They’re simple to prepare and super fun to carve with family and friends. And, unlike pumpkin jack-o’-lanterns, delicious to eat afterwards.

Frankly, you can stuff bell peppers with pretty much whatever you want. I’m offerings you one variation, a stuffing with seasoned bread crumbs and forbidden rice, but you can just substitute the bread stuffing for more forbidden rice if you’re taking it easy on the carbs, or use one of your favorite stuffings – it should work!

Now, this recipe isn’t for the faint of heart: it’s rather extensive, but also terrifying as your stuffed bell pepper jack-o’-lanterns transform from smooth, vibrant little guys into eery, wrinkly vegetables in the heat of the oven. But I guarantee, personalizing these stuffed bell peppers and watching them undergo their spooky transformations will be a blast for any age or fear-tolerance.

Are you up for the challenge?

6 orange bell peppers, divided (5 stuffed and carved, 1 diced for the filling)

For the stuffing

1 tablespoon olive oil, for sautéing

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1 shallot, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup celery heart, diced

1 cup of forbidden rice, cooked (3 1/2 to 4 cups of rice if you’re substituting it for the bread stuffing)

2 1/2 to 3 cups seasoned bread stuffing (optional)

3/4 cup dried apricots, minced

3/4 cup vegetable broth (use only 1/2 cup if you using just rice)

1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

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For the pumpkin seed pesto

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 to 2 cups thai basil

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/4 cup lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon salt

1. First things first, parboil 5 of the orange bell peppers that you later going to carve and stuff (be sure to buy orange bells that have a wide base and can stand up without a prop). In a large pot, cover the peppers in lightly salted water and bring to boil. Let the peppers boil for 1 minute, then turn off the heat. Let them sit in the hot water for another 2 minutes, then remove from the pot and let cool.

2. In the meanwhile, time prepare your stuffing. Rinse 1 cup of black rice under cold water, and then transfer to a small pot with 1 3/4 cups of water and a touch of salt. Bring rice to boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer and cover for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and let sit covered for another 15 minutes (you may need more rice if you forego the stuffing).

3. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the remaining orange bell pepper, red onion, shallot, garlic, and celery heart in a tablespoon of olive oil, until just tender – about 7 to 8 minutes.

3. Next, in a large bowl, combine your sautéed vegetables with the black rice and bread stuffing (or just the black rice, if you prefer), as well as the dried apricots, vegetable broth, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. You want the stuffing to be moist all the way through, but not soaking wet.

4. Cut around the inner circumference of your parboiled orange bells, as you would a pumpkin. Remove the top but save it. Scrape out the insides with a spoon to remove the white, fleshy strands. Then, pack the pepper full of stuffing with the back of a spoon.

5. Now for the fun part. While preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, carve your orange bell pepper jack-o’-lanterns with a small paring knife. Once finished with your various faces, place your stuffed bell pepper jack-o’-lanterns in a baking dish with the tops on them, spray with cooking spray, and cover with tin foil. Pop them in the oven for 40 minutes to begin with.

6. While those are cooking, make the pumpkin seed pesto. Toast your pumpkin seeds in a skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, until they begin to brown and smell fragrant. Transfer to a food processor and pulse with the garlic. Add the other ingredients and pulse until a cohesive texture. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

7. Now, remove the peppers from the oven and take off the tin foil, reduce oven heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place them back in the oven for another 10 to 20 more minutes, until a knife can be easily inserted into the flesh.

8. Lastly, in the final 10 minutes of baking, remove the peppers from the oven one last time, and add dollop a heaping tablespoon of pesto underneath where the top is. Put the little peppers’ hats back on their heads, and return them to the oven for remaining 10 minute bake time.

And there you have it – Stuffed Bell Pepper Jack-o’-Lanterns! Choose your face and eat asap.

Let me know how it went for you in the comments below, and what you decided to do for the stuffing. Feel free to modify the recipe however you like.

Have a wonderful time cooking, and Happy Halloween!

Your vegan nephew (or at least your online one)