This is Halloween, this is Halloween. Halloween, Halloween!
That song will be in my head all day now…
You know we love our stuffed peppers, right?
Today I have another stuffed pepper, and another play on words. These jack o lantern peppers are fun (I make them every year), but the new filling is what I’m excited about!
Doesn’t that one look like a skeleton?
So. This filling. I started by juicing carrots and ginger.
Then. I cooked the quinoa with the carrot ginger juice.
I know, I know. I made that face too.
carrot-ginger quinoa pepper jacks
makes two stuffed peppers
gluten free, vegan, dairy free
1/2 cup dry quinoa (black for Halloween theme)
1 cup fresh carrot ginger juice
1 cup cooked black beans
2 orange bell peppers
sea salt
*Juice 5 carrots and 1 inch piece ginger. Combine quinoa and juice, bring to boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, carve your peppers. Combine cooked quinoa with black beans, salt to taste, fill peppers. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve over spinach salad.
*No juicer? Buy a bottle of carrot ginger juice – generally found in the chilled beverage section.
I want to cook all quinoa in juice from now on – it really adds vibrant flavor! These had a warm sweetness from the ginger and carrot, which balanced the pepper flavor well. It’s just an added bonus that they are whimsical and get me singing songs from a Tim Burton movie.
Do you carve pumpkins for Halloween? If not, perhaps a pepper?
*edited to add –> like these peppers? PLEASE consider voting for them to win Yummly’s Halloween recipe contest? THANK YOU!
{ 152 comments… read them below or add one }
Those orange peppers looks AMAZING and are so freaking cute. They’re so well done that I thought they were ceramic in the top photo. I’m in awe.
thank you, Victoria!!
oh… and I thought of you the other day… another chickpea creation coming soon!
OMG, so cute!!!
Cutest thing ever!!!! I have GOT to make these for the kids.
yes you do!! they will love them!
Amazing! Adorable and slightly unsettling, just like Halloween is supposed to be! I am still perplexed how you are able to produce so many wonderful & beautiful ideas so frequently.
Much love to you & your blog!
ha – Thank you, Thom!
and thank you SO much for your continued kind words – they always make my day and are much appreciated! (and trust me, sometimes I do NOT have any ideas…) 
XXO!
OMG love it. How fun would those be at a Halloween dinner party!
indeed! I did just that one year, they were definitely a hit.
These are so adorable.
I used to carve pumpkins. Now I roast and puree them.
ha – yeah you do, and then amazing things are made!
Ha! They are way too awesome/funny/cute. Now I must share with all my veggie friends.
hi Kalinda!! thank you for sharing! XO
Those are really cute! And even better because you get to eat them! I love black beans!
thank you, Curt! we love stuffed peppers, always delicious!
Why are you SO darn cute?
“baby, I was born this way“.
(thank you…)
Love it! I saw something similar on Pinterest and put it on my list of things to make in October. So much fun. I also love the idea of cooking quinoa in carrot/ginger juice. I prefer it cooked in some liquid other than water for the extra flavor boost, and I’m sure the juice idea is spectacular!
hi Maryea! here I was thinking I was being all creative with my pepper jacks!
it’s been a favorite Halloween thing for years.
you should try the carrot ginger juice for quinoa – I generally use a veggie broth, and have been branching out lately (salsa spices were GOOD!). the juice gives a lot of flavor!
Oh don’t worry–you are super creative!! With the Internet, it’s pretty hard to find something someone, somewhere, hasn’t already done.
I definitely know that! and just to clarify, I wasn’t fishing for a compliment… although I do appreciate it.
Happy Tuesday, Maryea!
Cute!
We do carve pumpkins every year — my MIL has the whole family over and we eat, drink and carve pumpkins. She has tons of tools and stencils to make some pretty interesting jack o lanterns. We look forward to it every year.
I need to make some stencils… I always have grand visions of my pumpkins and while they are cute, they rarely live up…
always fun though! 
Kristina! Oh my word! i can make these with Henry and not get all the pumpkin goop everywhere. You’ve saved this anal, too clean mommy ALOT of heartache!!
oh, YAY, I am SO happy for that! and you can make several of them, AND you can eat them… AND they are very easy to “carve” !
have fun! XO
So adorable I could just pass out!! I absolutely LOVE these! And they are easier to carve than a real pumpkin , even better
yes, Cara! so much easier than a pumpkin, and you can eat it after!
wins all around.
what a cute idea!!
thank you, Felicia!
Such genius! These are so stinkin’ cute, and I will definitely be trying my hand at making some before month’s end
I hope you do, Bobbie! have fun and enjoy!
So cute! This makes me want to carve a pumpkin this year, I haven’t done it in at least 5 years now.
I love cooking quinoa in juice. I usually use orange juice, gives it such a better flavor than water!
orange juice sounds good too – I think I will be using juice a lot with quinoa, replacing my usual veggie broth.
This may very well be the cutest Halloween recipe I’ve seen. Now I know what I’m making for dinner on the 31st! Thanks so much for sharing!
you are so welcome, Stephanie! enjoy, have a fun Halloween!
You are so darn creative!! Can you send some of that creativity my way?? I find I end up making the same stuff over and over again. This looks SO good and so FUN to eat. Plus I freakin’ LOVE quinoa!
thank you, Jess!!
you should definitely make these, they are really fun AND tasty. and trust me, girl, I have my creative times AND my dry spells… 
These are JUST too cute. Seriously.
thank you, Anna!
For real?! I can’t believe your skill. I want some cheesy/rice combo in my jackopepper, but you have shown me something new. Adorbs.
yeah, some may want a little “more”, but we enjoyed them as is – the flavor is SO good and the beans give some OOMPH.
This presentation rocks. I love happy spooky food.
thank you, Jen!
these are the coolest! haha! I love the pumpkin creativeness!!!
You my dear are rocking the recipes!
Happy Tuesday! xoxo
thanks, Katie – they are pretty fun!
Those are so rad!
thanks, Jojo!
This is just about the cutest thing ever and I’m dying!
And it reminds me that I need to cook my quinoa in other mediums besides water.
oh, yes you should, Susan! even if it’s something like a stock or broth… the juice? SO good!
You are so flipping adorable. These would be great for a dinner party.
hee, thank you Christine
Okay, your Halloween foods are all officially way too cute. I’m not carving a pumpkin this year, so I juuust might have to give these peppers a go. Or at least that quinoa, ’cause I love everything ginger.
Allie, if you like ginger, MAKE THIS quinoa! I will be doing this with much of my quinoa from now on… and you may as well put the quinoa in pepper jacks!
hehe, too cute! i love all your recipes with “character.” Such a spabettie trademark.
thank you, dear friend – so happy you appreciate them!
XO
Ah! Spookily-fabu! Totally dig your kitchen style. I’ve got a whole pot of just cooked black beans begging for an inspired and fun use. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
hello Marisa, and thank you! I hope you make these, they are fun and tasty!
Sooo creative, I love it!!
thank you, my friend!
These are RAD!
I’ve been looking everywhere for orange peppers and can’t find any. If I was doing green food for MoFo there’d be orange peppers everywhere….I just know it.
oh, no Jeni! I don’t know what I’d do without orange (and yellow) – those are my favorites. I am not a fan of the green peppers, they’re different, you know?
I hope you find some soon! XO
So freaking cute! You could fill those peppers with anything looking that adorable and I would eat them
hee – thanks, Jen! and yes, they’d be fun with just about any filling… but THIS – MMM!
These are SO adorable. I cannot wait to try them for our halloween dinner party at the end of the month. Genius!
I hope you do, Ashlae! they are definitely hit!
Awesome! I love these! I haven’t carved a pumpkin in the last couple years…but I could definitely handle the pepper idea!
the peppers are SO much easier, and… you get to eat them after!
TOO CUTE!!
And your knife-carving skills are pretty stellar to carve out those faces!
thanks, Averie!!
smaller surface, to be sure, but it’s really pretty easy to do…
Ahhh, these are SO cute!! What a neat idea, seriously – who ever would have thought to do that?! And I love that you cooked the quinoa in the ginger carrot juice, I’m sure it gave it great flavor!
you should try this, Liz – quinoa, rice, whatever – the flavor is amazing!
(and thank you!) XO
Lady, these are crazy cute! Love them! We make a huge event out of carving pumpkins. We go to the farm, get them and then come back and carve the rest of the day! It’s one of my favorite things to do with the boys!
I braised carrots, onion and garlic in carrot juice this weekend and it was sooo good! What an amazing sauce it makes.
braising carrots in juice – oh, MY that sounds good – we were in sync this weekend!
I want to come over to YOUR house for pumpkin day!! 
girl these are too cute! you are so creative, not sure if I could ever do something like this, I would totally mess it up
thank you!!
they’re fun… and you could totally do it – they’re much easier to carve. 
just when I think you’ve done it all…
you come up with THIS!
LURVE LURVE LURVE!!!!
ha – thank you, dear. you are the sweetest in all that you do for me!
STOP IT! These look so amazing. I bet they’d be incredible with lentils, too – I’ve been on a lentil kick…
I’m making these when we have friends over for dinner – too freaking cute. And tasty. And you know I’ll add avocado to mine.
yep, lentils will be good, avocado OF COURSE will be good…
take photos when you make them, I want to see!
These are the cutest thing ever. I usually shy away from stuffed pepper recipes, but this one looks so easy!
thank you, Jess! and yes, you should try them – they’re really too easy…
btw, I tried them and loved them!
These are just so cute and creative. I love them. I’m going to have to start making these for halloween.
thanks, Miriam!
they are really fun, right? I love Halloween…
Oh you’re too cute! I love the idea of using an orange pepper as a little mini pumpkin… I’m thinking of all kinds of possibilities… you rock!
heee – thanks, Angela! aren’t they fun? the best part – you get to eat them! no messy pumpkin to deal with later (although we will do those too…)
That has to be one of the cutest and most genius things I have ever seen. Well done.
thank you, Anna!
I love Halloween… I do these every year!
Umm I need to carve a pepper ASAP. So cute!
right?? so much easier than a pumpkin…
These are great! I bet they would work nicely as a stuffed pepper, too, for the meat-eaters out there!
most definitely – these could be stuffed with anything, really.
That’s too cute. I’m saving this for Halloween, it’ll be a great craft for little kids (maybe if I see my little cousins, I can actually get them to eat some veggies!)
ha – I know the kids will love these… as far as actually eating them, you’ll have to let me know!
Last fall I made vegan savory stuffed apples but I think your peppers scream fall alot more! They look great!
I love them. These are the cutest stuffed peppers I’ve ever encountered.
thanks, Kath!
they’re pretty fun, I love Halloween!
So darned cute, and delicious is just a bonus!
thanks, Karen! yes, they’re a MUCH easier alternative to carving a pumpkin… and you can eat them too!
I’m always in for a sure surprise when I visit your blog– and this post is no exception
These look amazing and so festive for the upcoming halloween holiday! Sadly, I don’t get too spirited when it comes to Halloween, but you’ve certainly inspired me to do so 
aww, thank you so much, Emilia! that just made me smile big – you are so sweet!
perhaps you will carve some peppers this year?
beautiful peppers, beautiful post!
thank you, Heather – these were pretty fun to make!
So adorable!
thank you, Celyn! by the way, have I told you I love your blog name!??
Thank you! My blog is vegan giveaways for the Vegan Month of Food, so come have a look if you like.
oh my gosh Oh My Gosh OH MY GOSH, I’m looking at today’s post, is that top photo a dachshund?? or a dachshund mix? sure looks like one
anyway, I have moved your blog in my reader to my favorites folder, so I don’t miss any more posts (I’ve been SO behind in reading, especially with all the new vegan mofo additions!). I’m not entering today’s giveaway – I have one of these already!! (purchased at Vida Vegan!) 
ha ha! You’re so creative! There’s some Halloween spirit!
aren’t they fun!?
so adorable!
thank you!!
just told one of my bffs to make these! =) hollerrr!
YAY! I hope they do – they’re fun!
we made these for dinner tonight!! the kids all loved them and we did too, wonderful flavors from the juice in the quinoa, you are so crafty!!
thank you, Jenna! glad you enjoyed!
So great! Love these!
thanks, girl!
oh HEY! remember you had a dream about me Vida Vegan weekend (I was a scuba diver!?) I had a dream about YOU last night!! we were mushroom hunting. but they turned into pumpkins, the way only dreams can.
we should get a group together for dinner sometime when Departure rolls out the new vegan menu!! XO
Pumpkin mushrooms, adorable!
Yes, vegan Departure dinner field trip soon! Absolutely!
This is seriously adorable! When I first saw it, I didn’t think they were real! So cute
thank you!!
I know, you are not the first person to say that! I guess some of them DO look like they could be ceramic or something!
Wow, these are so adorable! I actually hate peppers, but there are so cute I would totally make them for other people
exactly! and you can eat the stuffing. it’s still easier than a pumpkin!
Can you enable highlighting on your website? I would like to copy/paste the recipe for my mother without having to retype it. Thanks!
I just emailed it to you!
These might be the cutest things I’ve ever seen. Love it!
thank you, SaraJane! they’re currently third place in the Yummly contest, I would LOVE your vote if you haven’t already?
http://www.yummly.com/blog/2011/10/contest-finalist-stuffed-pepper-jack-o-lanterns/
really? its that easy?! I have the ingredients and im ready to assemble but im afraid that in the oven they wont stay so bright orange and perky. the ones you photographed have been baked already…?
Thanks for the adorable recipe, either way
they will, or they should! some of these photos, YES – they’re already baked – the ones on the spinach, for sure – can you see how they’re kindof “softer” looking?
they definitely “wilt” a bit, but the color always stays nice! you are so welcome, enjoy!!
Thanks for sharing this! They are adorable and sounds delicious. I have never thought about cooking quinoa in juice. What a great idea! Time to pull out the juicer!
hi Alexis! after doing this, I don’t know if I’ll cook quinoa any other way!! it was SO flavorful with the juice – oh my! hope you try it – enjoy!
Love it, love it , love it~!!! You can stuff anything in those pumpkins!
thank you, Joanne!!
they are pretty fun…
cooking quinoa in juice is such a good idea – THANK YOU!!
thank YOU! I love it, especially carrot but I have used apple and other fruit juices too! cooking with water? never! gives such great flavors, I’m glad you like it!
found these from yummly, congratulations on the recipe win!! they are too cute and the recipe sounds amazing too – bookmarked and will enjoy these! (a turkey carving, perhaps? or holiday designs!)
thank you, Andie!! I was really excited to have made the top ten!! *little old me??
if you carve turkeys in these (or anything else) I MUST SEE!! 
so cool! congratulation on winning!
this quinoa filling is amazing! thanks for a great recipe, the jacks are very cute.
thank YOU, Julie! this is my favorite way to cook quinoa now!
these are SO cute, and sound great!
SO cute!! cooking quinoa in juice sounds so good too – what a great idea!
lovely – I am new to your blog and love the recipes. besos, Georgia P.
thank you, Georgia!
adorable! the filling sounds good too.
hello Garo!! thank you – these are always fun to make
too cute!
DMW
These are adorable! Love, love, love.
thank you!!
I was searching for something vegan and gluten free for a Halloween potluck, and found these on the xgfx site. O wow they are so perfect! My one small issue is I don’t like ginger…
So would you recommend using straight carrot juice, or some other combo? Whatever the broth I know they will be a huge hit. 
Thanks for the fantastic idea!
hi Deborah! yes, just leave out the ginger and use straight carrot juice – or really you can get creative and come up with any flavors you like! carrot is sort of sweet, gives a great flavor. orange is also good, I’ve cooked quinoa in coconut milk (so creamy!), all kinds of liquids! enjoy!
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