Scallop-Stuffed Peppers with Pesto and Parmesan

I've abandoned posts about chocolate, cookies and cream cheese and now turn my thoughts to lighter, healthier, New-Year's-resolution cuisine.

This terrific main-dish salad is my own concoction and it's keeping me on the strait and narrow. Fast, easy, healthy, low-calorie, tasty--the only way it could be better is if someone fixed it for me while I relaxed on a Hawaiian beach.

3 red bell peppers
1 pound sea scallops
1/4 c prepared pesto
salt, pepper to taste
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan
6 cups fresh mesculun

for vinaigrette:
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c red wine vinegar
1 T sugar
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t paprika
1/4 t dry mustard
1/8 t ground pepper
1/8 t salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash the peppers, core and cut them in half. Remove the ribs and seeds and place, cut side up, in a pan. Divide scallops between the six pepper halves, topping with a tablespoon of pesto. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, then top with grated Parmesan.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the scallops are cooked through. Meanwhile, combine olive oil through salt in a container and shake well to combine. Use one cup of the prepared greens, drizzle with the vinaigrette, top with a stuffed pepper and serve immediately.

Technorati tags: scallops, salads, pesto, bell peppers