Everyone digs stuffed peppers, but
they usually take a heck of a long
time to make. Not these babies. Our
vegetarian quick-fix version is
high in the flavor department but
low on prep time- a winning
combination if you're in a time
crunch. Barley is high in fiber,
the peppers are loaded with
cell-protecting antioxidants, and
the shiitake mushrooms are one of
the most immune-boosting foods on
the planet. And oregano doesn't
just make food taste great, it also
contains two important plant
compounds, carvacrol and thymol,
which have been shown to inhibit
the growth of all kinds of
microbes. (That's one reason
oregano oil is considered such a
good "purifier" for the system and
one of the first things I turn to
when I feel like I'm getting a
stomach bug.) The pecans nicely
balance the texture of the peppers
and grain with a sweet crunchiness,
all the more satisfying because it
comes from one of the healthiest
nuts on earth.