Stuffed Peppers with Orzo and Olives

Yum! Another great recipe from Cook Yourself Thin Faster. I was very skeptical about this recipe, but thanks to this blogging assignment, thought I'd better try it for a new recipe. I am glad I did, I normally would have skipped over it, which is why I love this blog, it has forced me to try recipes I normally wouldn't try and make things outside of my regular, comfort, cooking routine. To be honest, I really wasn't sure what Orzo was, do you? I always thought it was just a kind of pasta; however, it is an Italian rice made from barley and it has really good flavor. The flavors are amazing and it is so easy to make. Try this one for sure!!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat orzo
1 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
1/4 t. salt
1 zucchini, diced
1 tomato, cored and diced
1/4 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and halved
(I also added feta for even more flavor!)


1. Preheat the oven to 425. Line a 13X9 pan with aluminum foil.


2. Cook the Orzo until al dente according to package directions.


3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, just until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the tomato, olives, and orzo. I also added feta to the mixture.


4. Divide the orzo mixture among the peppers and arrange  in a single layer in the prepared pan. Bake until the peppers are tender, about 25 minutes.