Tomatoes Stuffed with Pesto Rice

 Ingredients

     Pesto Sauce:

• 1 bunch cilantro (or basil)
• ¼ cup all-natural peanut butter
• ¼ cup lime juice
• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 teaspoons ginger paste
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced and deseeded
• ¼ cup water
• ½ teaspoon sea salt or to taste

     Vegetables & Rice:

• 8 medium-large tomatoes
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 4-6 green onions, diced
• 1 red or orange sweet pepper, diced
• 1 cup black Kalamata olives, sliced
• ½ cup peas
• ¼ cup pine nuts, for garnishing (optional)

‍ Directions

1. In a high-powered blender, add the pesto ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside ½ cup of the pesto sauce.
2. Flip the tomatoes so they are stem-side down. Using a serrated knife, cut the tomato into 6-8 wedges leaving these wedges attached at the base of the tomato. Carefully spread open the wedges and set aside.
3. In a medium size mixing bowl, add the cooked brown rice, green onions, red pepper, olives, and pesto sauce. Combine and set aside.
4. Fill the tomatoes with the rice mixture and garnish with the remaining pesto sauce and pine nuts. If you have more of the rice mixture left, serve it as a side dish and top with diced tomatoes, cilantro, and pine nuts.

✏️ Tips & Hints

• You can also bake stuffed tomatoes. I like to cut off the tomato tops, scoop out the tomato pulp using a serrated knife and spoon, leaving ½ inch shell intact. Add the pulp and seeds to the rice mixture. Stuff the tomatoes with the rice mixture and bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes or until tomatoes begin to shrink. Increase the oven temperature to broil and cook until the tomato edges begin to brown slightly.