Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Step 2

Carve the peppers. Using a pairing knife, slice the tops off the peppers. Cut straight down or in a zig zag pattern (see photos). Set aside, as these will be the tops of the jack o’lanterns.

Step 3

Carefully cut out the white bits and seeds from the inside of the pepper, making sure not to cut through the pepper itself.

Step 4

Carve a face into one side of the pepper. I like to carve two triangle eyes and a mouth. Keep it simple – if the facial features are too detailed or too close together, the face may rip apart when cooked.

Step 5

Place the peppers and their tops in a high rimmed baking dish. Add the 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the dish, cover the dish with foil, poke a few holes in the foil, and bake for 30 minutes.

Step 6

Prepare the filling. First, cook the quinoa. Add the quinoa and the water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer. Then cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. The quinoa should be nice and fluffy.

Step 7

In a mixing bowl, add the cooked quinoa, salsa, black beans, corn, cheese, and spices. Mix together.

Step 8

Once the peppers are done steaming, remove them from the oven and use tongs to pour out any water that may have accumulated inside the pepper. It’s okay if there is some water left on the bottom of the baking dish. Carefully stuff the peppers with the filling, sprinkling extra vegan cheese on top if desired.

Step 9

Place the top on each bell pepper jack o’lantern, and bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until the pepper is tender and the vegan cheese is melted.

Step 10

Serve with extra salsa, vegan sour cream, and cilantro. Stay spooky and happy Halloween!