1. Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C). Carefully cut each bell pepper in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. Place the pepper halves cut-side up in a baking dish.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until it softens and becomes translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

3. To the skillet, add the rinsed black beans, drained corn, undrained diced tomatoes, taco seasoning mix, and water. Stir everything together well. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.

4. Stir in the cooked vegetarian ground “meat” crumbles (or lentils) into the taco filling. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, just until everything is heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat.

5. Carefully spoon the taco filling into each bell pepper half, mounding it slightly. Make sure to distribute the filling evenly among all the peppers.

6. Sprinkle about 1 cup of the shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the stuffed peppers. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the peppers are tender-crisp and the cheese is melted and bubbly. For extra browning, you can briefly switch to the broiler for the last minute or two, but watch carefully to prevent burning.

7. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Let the stuffed peppers cool for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, and offer sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and salsa on the side for an extra burst of flavor.