Peppers Stuffed with Rice, Tofu and Fruit

2-4 green bell peppers*
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups water
¼ cup port wine**
½ cup finely diced firm tofu
½ cup dried cherries, dried cranberries or currants
¼ to ½ cup pine nuts or chopped nuts (such as pecans, walnuts, or almonds)
3 to 5 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cut off the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Place the peppers in a shallow glass baking dish with ½ inch of water. Microwave on high power until the peppers are barely tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool. (Or steam the peppers on your stove top until barely tender, about 5 minutes.)

IN A SAUCEPAN. Cook the rice. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the wine to a simmer over medium-low heat and add the tofu; simmer until the wine is absorbed or evaporated, about 8 minutes.

PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, stir together the hot rice, dried fruit, nuts, parmesan, salt, pepper and tofu. Stuff the peppers, pressing the filling into the cavities. Bake until the filling is hot and the peppers are tender, about 15 minutes.

*Serves 4 (if using small peppers); Serves 2 (if using big peppers). Vegetarian Times
**If using cooking wine, you may want to use less salt