Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers

Hey! These were Mediterranean enough for Steven to say "These taste like Mediterranean food."...which was the point, so I call it a win. Plus he took the leftovers to work which is how I know he wasn't lying when he said he liked them.  They were light but filling, so they might be our new "oh god, we have binge ate for the past week and need a break" meal.

Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers
From Delicious on a Dime
Serves 4

• salt
• 1/3 cup couscous
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons greated fresh ginger
• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 8 dried apricots, chopped
• 4 green bell peppers, tops sliced off, seeded and cored

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring 1/2 cup lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in couscous, covered, then remove from heat.  Let stand until water has absorbed (about 5 minutes). Fluff couscous lightly with a fork then re-cover.

In a small bowl combine cumin, cinnamon, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute until golden.  Add beef and cook while breaking the meat up until it is no longer pink.  Add onion and ginger and cook and stir until onions soften. Sprinkle cumin mixture over beer and saute for a minute.

Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, chickpeas, and apricots. Stir well, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.  Remove from heat and stir in couscous. 

Mist an 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. If peppers don't stand upright, cut a tiny slice off the bottom of each pepper to level. Stuff peppers with meat mixture and place them in baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup water into baking dish, cover with foil and bake until peppers are tender when pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.