Red Beans and Rice
Servings
4Serving size
about 1 1/2 cups beans with 2/3 cup riceThis recipe can be multiplied by 2, but you’ll need a big pot. This recipe is better as leftovers. Best to make it on Sunday for Monday and later in the week.
Ingredients
| 1 tsp. Olive oil |
| 1 large White onions (diced) |
| 3 clove Garlic, raw (minced) |
| 1/2 large Green bell peppers (diced) |
| 2 Large stalk Celery, raw (diced) |
| 4 ounces Italian or spicy sausage (cut into 1/ inch cubes) |
| 4 cup Water |
| 2 15 ounce can Canned no salt added kidney beans (drained and rinsed) |
| 1 tsp., leaves Dried thyme |
| 3 tsp. Salt Free Creole Seasoning |
| 1/4 tsp. Salt |
| 1 to taste Black pepper |
| 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce |
| 3 cup Water |
| 1 cup Brown rice |
Instructions
Add the diced onions and garlic.
Cook for about five minutes. Stir frequently.
Add the celery and green pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes.
Add the sausage and cook for about five minutes. Stir frequently.
Add the beans to the pot and then add the water, thyme leaves, Creole Seasoning, pepper, and Tabasco sauce.
Stir and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add water about a half cup at a time as needed.
As the beans are nearly done (they should be soft and creamy) place the 3 cups water in a medium sauce pan over high heat.
When the water is boiling, add the rice, stir once, and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Cook, partially covered, until all the water is gone (35-45 minutes).
Stir the rice once to fluff it and then serve the red beans over the rice in 4 equal portions.
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Special Diet Information
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Lactose
This recipe is safe for those who are lactose intolerant.
Recipe Notes
This recipe was a challenge not so much because of the amount of fat that many Creole recipes have in them but because of the amount of salt.
The first concern was the sausage. A number of variations of ham and sausage were tried but the Healthy Choice and Healthy Ones are widely available products with only 480 mg of sodium and 2.5 grams of fat in 2 ounces. You may be able to find similar products at your grocery – look for the American Heart Association “Heart Check” Symbol. Sometimes locally made is a great choice. Comparing packages is the key and in one case the local brand also had less fat and salt, coming very close to the “healthy” versions.
The other issue was seasoning. There are countless recipes for Creole seasoning, but most of us don’t have the time and will choose one off of the shelf at the store. The ones made in Louisiana are the key – Chef Paul Prudhomme and Tony Chachere’s are GREAT products! The McCormick is the national brand with the lowest amount of sodium and has great flavor, but if you use this one (or the Tony Chachere’s) don’t add any salt.