For Part Four of my Countdown to Easter series, I am making delicious, versatile and healthy vegan Stuffed Peppers, or “Gemista.”

Ingredients:
6 Bell Peppers (or Whole Tomatoes)
1 Leek, Thinly Sliced
2 Green Onions, Thinly Sliced
1 Shallot, Thinly Sliced
4 Small Garlic Cloves, Chopped
1 Celery Stalk, Sliced Thinly
1 Carrot, Sliced Thinly
1 cup Arborio Rice
Water
4 or 5 Potatoes, Chopped into 3/4 inch cubes
3/4 cup Tomato Puree + 1/4 cup Water or Stock (for Rice Mixture)
3 tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Large Handful Chopped Mint
2 Large Handfulls Chopped Parsley
1 cup Tomato Juice (or 1/2 cup Tomato Puree + 1/2 cup Water or Stock) for topping peppers and potatoes
1. Sautee the leek, green onions, shallot and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent.
2. Toast your rice in the leek mixture for a few minutes to absorb the flavour.
3. Add your vegetables and 1 cup of water or stock to the leek and rice mixture (try carrot, celery, tomato, eggplant, zucchini or squash). Simmer the rice for 8 minutes.
4. While your rice is simmering, peel and chop your potatoes. Season them with olive oil, salt, pepper and dried oregano. Set aside.
5. Carefully slice the tops off your bell peppers (or tomatoes) and clean out the seeds and ribs. Keep the tops so you can cover the rice for cooking.
6. Place your potatoes into the pan between the peppers.
7. Season the inside of each pepper with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano.
8. Before filling your peppers, add 3/4 cup of tomato puree, 1/4 cup water and 3 tbsp tomato paste to your rice. Fold in fresh parsley and mint, and taste for seasoning.
9. Fill your peppers with rice and top each one with roughly 3 tbsp of tomato juice. Cover the peppers with their tops and drizzle the remaining tomato juice over the pepper tops and potatoes.
10. Bake at 350 F for 75 Minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked.
11. Enjoy immediately or as leftovers… Gemista are even better the next day.