When you are sure of the sun, the meadows are dry and soft and the days get longer then every occasion is good for organizing a picnic in the countryside. And the problem arises: what to put in the wicker basket? Tradition says to choose between classic recipes such as pasta salad, rice salad or sandwiches. But if you want some inspiration and a new idea here we have one for you: peppers stuffed with quinoa, ham and cheese. A single dish, hearty and original, good even cold, that will certainly be perfect for you for a picnic, for a cold snack at the office or in the evening watching the TV with all the family.

The Recipe:

We know that many people have a tough time digesting peppers. This is because of the skin that makes peppers hard to digest. So you can either peel them before cooking them or avoid eating the skin. Clean the peppers, cutting out the stalk and removing seeds and the white part. Rinse them well and then heat up a griddle or a non-stick frying pan. When these are hot place the peppers in them lengthwise and let the skin toast. Do this on all sides to make things easier for you.

Soak the quinoa in cold water while you are dealing with the peppers. You will have to rinse it several times to eliminate all the saponin it contains and which could give a bitter taste to the plant. When it has been well rinsed heat some water and pour in the quinoa when it boils. It must cook for about 15 minutes until it is well cooked. Now drain and set aside. Clean the carrots, celery and onion, cut them into small pieces.

Sauté in a frying pan with a drizzle of oil and then turn off the heat and add the quinoa. Cut the ham into thin strips and mix it with the quinoa. Use this filling to stuff the peppers, dressing them with a drizzle of oil. You can bake the peppers in the oven for 15 minutes at 180° C or, if you want to keep the house cool, use the microwave for 15 minutes, setting it on the crisp function.

Suggestion: These peppers are good even cold or slightly warmed up. Everyone will want seconds!