Meatless Stuffed Peppers

Meatless Stuffed Peppers
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 1/2 cups water
salt
4 large bell peppers, I used one green, one red, one orange, and one yellow for variety
1 package (250 grams/8 ounces) white button mushrooms, chopped
1 large onion, diced
1 can (398mL) beans, I like to use a mixed bean blend
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce of choice, I used herb and garlic
salt and pepper, to taste
garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper - start with one teaspoon each and add more as desired

Place the rice, water, and salt to taste in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer on low heat until liquid is absorbed and rice is just tender. You want separate, individual grains of cooked rice and you want it to be slightly al dente as it will cook more in the oven. Cool. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise, leaving the stems intact. Scoop out the sides and white part. Blanch the peppers just until the skin begins to soften, then shock in cold water to cool quickly, and drain well.

Mix the remaining ingredients together with the rice. Lay the peppers out on a parchment-lined cookie sheet or baking dish. Stuff with the rice mixture, filling the peppers completely. You may still have some filling leftover, but that's fine - it's great heated up and eaten as is. 

Now you may either pop the peppers in the oven at 350◦F until piping hot, or place the dish in the freezer, freeze the peppers until firm, then transfer to a container or bag to have on hand for a quick supper. To serve as an hors d'oeuvre, cut each pepper half in to to three pieces. Buying mini peppers and using them is also a great option, though mini peppers can be more expensive and hard to find, not to mention tedious to stuff.