Black-Eyed Pea Jambalaya

One of the things that I love about our abode is that we live in close proximity to three grocery stores. Three full-service big-time grocery stores. Spoiled much? Sure, I have my preferences, but I visit all three at least occasionally. The one problem is that it is difficult to keep track of the aisles and where different things are. For instance, in one store, I can almost never find the raisins. So when I went looking for canned black-eyed peas (silly me!) in the bean section, all I could find were dried. Figuring that was cheaper and better than nothing, I continued on my way. And then I spotted the canned black-eyed peas...in the canned vegetable section. This thoroughly confused Joe who kept asking me whether black-eyed peas were legumes or vegetables and led to agreeing that "legume" was a pretty fun word.

Whether canned or dried, this was perfect for a cloudy, gray Monday after Daylight Savings Time went into effect. Add Cajun seasoning and Tabasco (which is aged in Bourbon barrels, score!) to your taste buds' liking. Joe threw in some chicken andouille sausage with his portion. With all the vegetables, whole grain rice, and beans, this is some real stick-to-your-ribs vegetarian cuisine.

Black-Eyed Pea "Jambalaya"
source: Beth Eats
Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup brown rice
2 (15 ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles with liquid
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp Tabasco
1/2 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste

Preparation

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery, cook about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic and parsley and saute 2-3 more minutes. Pour in the broth, and mix in rice, black-eyed peas, and diced tomatoes with green chiles. Add Cajun seasoning, Tabasco, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until rice is tender.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 408.7
Total Fat: 2.8 g
Total Carbs: 77.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 14.5 g
Protein: 21.3 g