CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- I'll admit it, I am consumed each day by lengthy ruminations over what I'm going to eat and drink. Conversations with my long-suffering spouse almost always involve planning the evening meal and sometimes precipitate disputes that are usually amicably, but sometimes loudly, settled.

Then one or both of us will venture out to search for the freshest ingredients and the wine to accompany the agreed upon meal. These almost daily forays inevitably lead to the farmer's stands at Capitol Market to peruse and then purchase the just-picked veggies that are so appealingly displayed.

Like many of my contemporaries, I am trying to eat a healthier diet in the hope that doing so will undue decades of abuse ladled into my arterial system by the constant ingestion of the three most important central Appalachian food groups: lard, red meat and fried potatoes.

Therefore, recently I went in search of poblano peppers that would be the centerpiece of a (almost) vegetarian meal. Poblanos, when dried as they often are, become ancho peppers and are sometimes ground to make chili powder. Anchos can also be rehydrated and used in sauces. I found the poblanos at the Purple Onion inside Capitol Market and, while they do have a slight measure of heat, they are nowhere near the potency of a jalapeño.

This one-course meal is guaranteed to spice up your day and in a very healthy way. And when you accompany this meal with one the juicy zinfandels I'm going to suggest, you'll have the perfect summertime meal. You'll need one large poblano for each adult you're serving.

The recipe calls for quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), supposedly the perfect food. It fluffs up like rice, is gluten-free with a protein content of 12 percent. It can be used as a substitute for pasta and white rice and is very low in carbohydrates. It tastes good, too. If you can't find it (the Purple Onion usually stocks it), use brown rice as a low-carb substitute or just use white rice if you wish.

Stuffed Poblanos

Makes 2 servings.

     2     large poblano peppers

     1     clove garlic, diced

     1/4  medium onion, diced

     1/4  cup cilantro, finely chopped

     4     ounces Monterey jack cheese

     1/4     pound ground chorizo sausage (optional)

     2     ounces vegetable oil

     1/2  cup quinoa or brown rice

     Salt and pepper to taste

PLACE poblanos directly on the stovetop and char the skin, turning often until most of the surface of the pepper is charred.

PLACE the peppers in a paper or plastic bag for about 20 minutes, remove and peel the skin.

USING a small, sharp knife, cut a slit in top of the pepper large enough to spoon in the stuffing.

DICE the garlic, chop the onion and cilantro and sauté in 2 ounces of vegetable oil until the veggies are translucent.

SAUTÉ the chorizo and drain off the fat.

COMBINE the vegetables, chorizo and shredded cheese in a bowl and allow to cool.

ADD one egg to the cool mixture; stir.

STUFF the peppers and add more cheese to the top of each pepper.

PLACE on aluminum foil on an oven pan and heat through for 30 minutes at 325°.

Wine recommendations

Spicy, juicy red zinfandel is the perfect accompaniment to this meal. Try the 2006 Wild Hog Zinfandel ($25) or the 2007 Castle Rock Mendocino Zinfandel ($14). While both have the requisite blackberry juiciness and spice component in spades, the Wild Hog is a fuller-bodied version of zin while the Castle Rock shows more acidity and is a little less in-your-face.

For more on the art and craft of wine, visit John Brown's WineBoy blog at thegazz.com.