Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Red (or White) Beans and Rice

I started making this dish during our 30 day Vegan Challenge in 2011.  It was amazing then and it still is! :)

We LOVE it with corn bread, though I haven't quite found a plant based corn bread recipe yet that I feel is worth trying.  So the search continues!  If you have one, send it my way....I'd love to try it! :)

It is a little spicy, so you can adjust your seasonings accordingly.  If you're wanting to cut back on the spice, I'd use less Tony Chachere's and more regular salt.

If you need a little meat with your beans, you can throw in a ham hock with the beans and it will be super tender and flavorful.  I'd pull apart the meat and mix it into the beans before serving.

The most recent time I made this, I didn't have any red beans in the house and our organic market didn't have any and our Sam's doesn't carry dry beans.  I am usually not the kind of person to make a trip to the store for a single item, especially when I have a perfectly fine substitute in my cabinet.  Hence, our White Beans and Rice for the photo.  Just use your imagination and they'll be red!  :)

Red Beans and Rice
What's In It:
1 lb dry beans, rinsed, soaked for at least 8 hours, and drained
1 T oil
1 lrg onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 c chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T dried parsley
3 bay leaves
1/2 T black pepper
1 T smoked paprika
1-2 T salt (kosher or Tony Chachere's depending on your preference)
1/2 T thyme
1/2 T onion powder
1/2 T poultry seasoning
3-4 c stock
Sliced Green Onions for garnish

What To Do With It:
Saute veggies and garlic in oil over medium high heat for a few minutes - I usually do this until they start to sweat a bit.  

Add spices and beans and stir to combine. 

Add stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 2 hours.

If you'd like your beans to be a little smashed, you can take a spatula and press them against the side of the pot while you stir.

Serve over rice.

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