Cajun Red Beans and Rice
4 points a bowl


I made this for dinner last night. It was good, but I thought it needed something more, so I sprinkled red pepper flakes on mine. It still was missing something. Jeff thought it was WAY yummy. Maybe my friend JP who lives in N'awlins can help!!

Beans

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry small red beans
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
  
• 1 tsp garlic powder
  
• 2 tsp thyme
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups of crushed tomatoes
  

Directions

• Rinse and sort beans. ("Sort" means to remove and discard any odd looking beans. Anything off color, cracked, wrinkley or just weird looking).
• In large pot, add beans and 6 cups of water. Remove and discard any beans that float.
• Cover and bring to a boil for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let beans soak for 1 hour - keep pot covered. (This is the "quick soak" method).
  
• Drain and rinse beans and add them back to the pot
• Add onion, spices and crushed tomatoes
• Add 4 cups of water and stir through
• Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours

Rice Ingredients

• 1 cup of brown rice
• 1 vegetable boullion cube (optional)*
• 1 tbs garlic powder*
• 1 tbs paprika*
• 2 1/2 cups of water**

Directions

• Dissolve the boullion cube in the 2 1/2 cups of water
  
• Combine all ingredents in microwave safe bowl with a lid
• Microwave in high power for 5 minutes
• Decrease power to 50% and microwave for 40 minutes

To serve: Scoop a half cup of rice into a bowl, then a half cup of beans over the rice. This is 4 points worth!

*Note: I used the boullion cube, garlic powder and paprika just as an experiment. It didn't make that much of a taste difference, so next time I will just make the rice with water. Plus, the boullion cube has a lot of unnecessary sodium in it.

**Note on the water: My old package of Mahatma brown rice said to use 2 1/2 cups of water for microwave cooking, which makes for perfect rice. My new package said to use 3 1/2 cups. I'm not sure if its a type-o or if they think runny rice is a good thing. Anyway, just a warning if you use Mahatma brown rice... use 2 1/2 cups!!***

***Note on the "Note on the water": I am about to post a rant on the Mahatma brown rice directions. Please read it before making Mahatma brown rice. :)