Bell peppers are colorful and flavorful… great for a nutritious summer meal! They’re high in vitamins A and C, two very powerful antioxidants. Make these Quinoa Stuffed Peppers and watch for looks of astonishment when serving such a bright and delicious entrée. Quinoa is a high-protein grain that's much easier to cook than rice and readily available in natural food stores. You can prepare this versatile dish in advance and leave the baking until just before serving.

Ingredients:

1 cup dry quinoa
1/2 Tbs. olive oil
3 orange bell peppers
3 yellow bell peppers
1 red onion, diced
1/2 lb. small mushrooms, sliced
1 cup carrots, diced (2-4 depending on size)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup densely packed chopped parsley
1/4 lb. baby spinach
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. cumin
salt & pepper (to taste)
1/2 lb. large roasted, salted cashews

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
2. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat; add onions and cook about 10 minutes; add mushrooms and continue cooking another 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add carrots and red pepper, cooking for few minutes, add parsley and spinach, mixing after each addition; let spinach soften, then season vegetables with cinnamon & cumin.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste; remove from heat and blend in cashews.
5. Prepare peppers for stuffing using a sharp paring knife; cut in a circle around the stem, about ½ inch away from the stem; remove seed mass from stem cover with knife, and remove the pepper webbing and seeds; rinse peppers to discard remaining seeds.
6. While preheating the oven to 350°F, gently pack peppers with vegetable quinoa mixture, making sure to fully stuff each pepper; top each with its respective stem cover.
7. Rub a few drops of olive oil on a large covered baking pan to prevent sticking.
8. Place peppers standing upright in the pan; cover the pan and place in the oven for 45-50 minutes; check for tenderness – peppers are done when there is a slight give to the pepper; remove before the skin is soft.

For this and other great recipes, visit www.WholeFoodsMarket.com!

Melissa's World Variety Produce provides an online store with the freshest fruits and vegetables – quality products with great value and first-class service. Melissa’s is the largest distributor of specialty produce in the United States. With over 800 items available at any given time, they import and distribute exotic fresh fruits and vegetables from around the globe.

Surprise someone you love with an astonishing Baby Vegetable Basket. A unique gift, the baby vegetables are hand-selected for maximum quality and seasonal availability. The basket is filled with baby versions of artichokes, beets, broccoli, white icicle turnips, kohlrabi, cauliflower, eggplant, squash, leeks, carrots, potatoes and radishes. Melissa's Baby Vegetables are artfully arranged in a beautiful woven basket wrapped and trimmed with colorful ribbon.

Donating time and product to a good cause, Melissa’s will cater the welcome reception at the upcoming Animal Rights 2007 National Conference (Los Angeles; July 19-23).

To view the wide selection of Melissa's fruits & veggies, visit www.Melissas.com!

Women with breast cancer can greatly reduce their risk of recurrence by eating a healthy plant-based diet and making other healthy lifestyle choices. A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reinforces existing evidence of this.

For nine years the study tracked the dietary patterns and exercise habits among 1,500 women who were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. The death rate for women who consumed a high-fiber diet rich in fruits and vegetables and practiced good exercise habits was 44% lower than the rate for women who exercised little and ate few plant-based foods. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute recently reported that the rate of breast cancer among premenopausal women who ate the most animal fat was a third higher than that of women who ate the least animal fat.

To read the full article, click here!

The Vegetarian Information Group of Rochester (VIGOR) is a non-profit organization in Minnesota dedicated to educating the public about the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle and introducing them to the many delicious options. VIGOR recently celebrated their fourth year of existence at Rochesterfest, selling 100% vegan food for six days. The event typically attracts 100,000 people and the group increases their sales every year! The vegan menu included specialties like the Gardenburger Riblet Sandwich, Cajun Grilled Tofu Sandwich, and other mouth-watering dishes. VIGOR was spotlighted in the local paper Post-Bulletin for giving away free vegetarian literature and DVDs.

The group has been growing VIGORously, helping to connect isolated vegetarians and welcome newcomers to a healthier, more compassionate lifestyle.

Check out VIGOR's attractive and informative website at www.VIGR.org!

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