Tuesdays are my crazy day. In addition to the
usual homeschool load, both daughters have art classes (conveniently
scheduled at different times!) and I teach a science co-op class. Dinner
gets squeezed into the hour between class and a weekly meeting at 6:45,
and if I don’t plan ahead? Well, Tuesday dinners can easily become a
disaster in which everyone has to fend for themselves, pulling whatever
they can find out of the fridge to stuff in their mouths as they dash
out of the house! It’s happened before, I confess. So I have been trying
to plan ahead and use that most useful of kitchen devices: The slow
cooker! Cajun Red Beans and Rice is a savory, warming meal that not
only requires very little time to prepare, but also leaves us with
plenty of leftovers. Which can come in handy, since Wednesdays are
nearly as crazy as Tuesdays!
This is an easy recipe that I remember from my childhood, and one
that’s a go-to when I know I have a busy week ahead. The hardest thing
about Cajun Red Beans and Rice is remembering to get the beans out the
night before to soak them!
Once the beans have soaked overnight, you just throw them in your
slow cooker
and add some chopped onion, a bay leaf, and fresh garlic. Throw in some
meat if you want…chopped organic chicken, or nitrate-free organic
sausage work well.
Toss in some homemade Cajun seasoning, cover it all with water, and
let the slow-cooker work its magic! By dinner time, you’ll have savory
beans in a thick broth to serve over steamed rice. And as a bonus, your
house will smell terrific all day as it cooks!
Easy Cajun Red Beans with Rice
(This recipe makes a lot! It will serve 6 people for 2 meals. Perfect
for freezing for later, leftovers, or a large crowd…or cut the recipe
in half if you’d like.)
Ingredients:
32 ounces of dry, organic small red beans (sorted and soaked overnight)
1 large organic onion, chopped
5 cloves of organic garlic, pressed
1 bay leaf
Organic, nitrate free sausage (14 ounces) or 2 organic, free range chicken breasts, finely chopped (meat is optional)
Cajun Seasoning
(from this recipe):
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons organic garlic powder
2 1/2 teaspoons organic paprika
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon organic ground cayenne pepper
1 1/4 teaspoon organic dried thyme
1 1/4 teaspoon organic dried oregano
Steamed rice of your choice (I like Jasmine rice!)
Looking for quality real food ingredients? Be sure to the check out the Village Green Marketplace!
Directions:
1. The night before, sort and soak your beans. Beans should be soaked at least 8 hours.
2. Rinse the beans, and pour them into your slow cooker. Add the chopped onion, garlic, meat (if you’re using it) and bay leaf.
3. Combine the spices for the Cajun seasoning in a bowl, mix well.
Sprinkle over the beans (I like to use all the seasoning, but you may
use less if you like).
4. Cover the beans completely with water, with an extra 1-2 inches of
water over the beans (they will swell as they cook, and in the last
hours of cooking the water thickens into a broth).
5. Plug in your slow cooker, and let the beans cook on low all day! I allow at least 7-8 hours for cooking.
6. Before dinner, steam or boil the rice of your choice. Stir the
beans well, season with extra sea salt to taste, and serve the beans in a
bowl over the rice.
Store leftovers in the fridge, or freeze them for a quick meal
later! The beans can be thawed overnight in the fridge and reheated on
another busy day.
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