Cream Cheese Peppers - Brunch Folks

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

For the rice stuffing

1 6-ounce package rice
1 ¾ cups water
1 14-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 green onion chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

For the lime cream cheese

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup freshly grated medium sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ancho chile powder (use normal chilli powder or black pepper powder as per your liking/adaptability for the spice)
1 tablespoon of green onions (chopped)
Salt to taste

If you are allergic to dairy products, skip the first two ingredients (cheeses) and use the following ingredients keeping the rest of the list of ingredients same:

1 cup raw cashews soaked in water 4 to 8 hours (drained and rinsed)
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
½ to ¾ cup water

If you are allergic to nuts, skip the first two ingredients (cheeses) and the cashew version and use the following ingredients keeping the rest of the list of ingredients same:

8 ounces of canned coconut milk (use only the thicker slab like portion floating on top)
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast

For the stuffed peppers

10 mini sweet peppers (halved and seeded)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon pink salt (you can use normal salt per availability, however, pink salt gives a unique tangy flavor)

Cooking Instructions

How to make the rice filling:

Take a small saucepan over medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil to it. Add the cumin seeds and saute until fragrant (for about 1 minute). Add all the seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder) and saute for another minute (to let the seasonings release their flavor).
Now add all the water and bring it to a boil by switching the heat to high. Now lower the heat to simmer and add the rice. Cover and cook for 35 minutes.
Now stir in the beans, cilantro and green onion. Remove from heat immediately after and let the flavors combine well, covered (in carry-over cooking) for 5 minutes more.
Uncover the rice and fluff a few times with a fork.

Make the cumin-lime crema:

Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, green onions, garlic powder, and salt and ancho chile powder (or normal chilli/black pepper powder) in a small bowl.

OR (for dairy-free version)

Place the cashews, ½ cup water, lime juice, green onions, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and ancho chile powder (or normal chilli/black pepper powder) into a blender and blend until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the pitcher. Thin with up to ¼ cup more water if needed and check the seasoning to adjust to your taste.

OR (for both nut-free and dairy-free version)

Add thick canned coconut cream milk along with nutritional yeast, lime juice, green onions, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and ancho chile powder (or normal chilli/black pepper powder) into a blender and blend until smooth. Add the coconut milky water left behind in the can if the consistency seems too thick and check the seasoning to adjust to your taste.

Make the stuffed peppers:

While the rice cooks (in those 35 minutes), preheat the oven to 400°F.
Mix the olive oil and pink salt (or normal salt) in a bowl.
Lightly rub the pepper halves with olive oil & salt mix and arrange (cut side down) on a baking sheet.
Bake until the peppers are tender and their skins begin to blister (for about) 16 to 18 minutes.
Stuff the baked pepper halves with the rice and bean mixture and drizzle the cumin-lime crema and bake for another 2 minutes. (In case you are using the dairy-free or nut-free crema, there is no necessity to put it back for baking again; you may simply drizzle and serve per your preference or even choose to bake for a minute. Both options work great.)
Serve hot and enjoy!