Red Beans & Rice

Red Beans and Rice
by Haley Dyer
(I adapted this recipe of the New Orleans classic to make it healthier. We love it on cold nights and anytime we feed a crowd. You can find Creole or Cajun seasoning in the spice section of your supermarket. I cook the rice while cooking the bean mixture. Serve with crusty French bread or garlic bread
for a hearty one-dish meal.)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. fully cooked smoked sausage (such
as hot links or kielbasa), sliced into
½"-thick rounds)
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 14½- to 16-ounce cans kidney beans
1 14½-ounce can low-salt, low-fat
chicken broth
1½ to 2 tsp. Creole or Cajun seasoning
or ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
and drained
3 cups cooked rice
Heat olive oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage, onion, and garlic and sauté until onion is brown, about 15 minutes. Mix in the kidney beans with their juices, broth, and Creole seasoning. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer. After 30 minutes, add in the thawed spinach. Cover and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until flavors are blended and mixture is thick (approximately 15 more minutes).
Divide cooked rice among large shallow soup bowls. Spoon bean mixture over rice and serve.
Serves 6-8