Red Beans 'n Rice

As a girl born in the south (and family still there) I sometimes must make a dish close to my roots. Tonight, I made red beans 'n rice for a few reasons, 1.) I needed to use up our veg sausage, 2.) My hubby put red beans on the pot and asked what we should make with them, and 3.) I love comfort food, especially trying to veganize them. This was really good, but it was missing something. If anyone is super familiar with Cajun food, please tell me what I was missing with this recipe. It *almost* was the red beans 'n rice I remember from my childhood, but not quite.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dry red beans, cooked
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4-5 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, diced
  
• 2 bay leaves
• dashes of Tabasco
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
• Some salt and pepper
  
• 1/2 package Gimme Lean vegan sausage
• 2 cups white or brown rice, cooked

Directions: Cook beans as directed and simmer on low. Saute the onion and garlic, then bell pepper and celery, and add to beans. Add spices, simmer uncovered, adding water if needed to cover beans. Fry veg sausage in olive oil (fry in crumbles) and add to beans. Let everything simmer for a while (30 mins- 3 hours, the longer the better). Serve on top of white or brown rice.

Give it a try and tell me what I am missing. It really is good as is- not bad at all.. my hubby and his friend who was over for dinner really liked it. I'm the picky one when it comes to cajun food.

Roasted Fig Pilaf

Here is a new recipe I created this evening. My husband's mother has a fig tree in her yard, so I wanted to create something yummy that we would be able to use her fresh organic figs. Get ready for a treat.. this pilaf is truly inspired by the Goddesses! It is so delicate and sweet, and it's almost like eating candy for dinner, almost. My husband was praising me for this, and told me I should submit this to a vegan recipe contest. I just might do that. I have a few months to decide if this is "The One" to enter.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. Organic Rice Blend (I used a mixture of brown, heirloom red, calmati and wild rice)
• 2 1/2 c. water
  
• 10-15 fresh figs, diced
  
• 1/4 c. diced onion
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 c. pine nuts
  
• Olive Oil
  

Directions: Pre-heat oven to 400 F. Dice figs and brush with olive oil. Roast in oven on cookie sheet for 25 mins. Meanwhile, in a large pot add water, rice and a teaspoon olive oil, heat on high until it boils, then simmer covered on low until tender. In a small pan add olive oil, onion, and garlic and saute until onions are tender and translucent. When rice and figs are done, mix it all together with parsley, sage and pine nuts.

I hope you like this as much as me. It is a great side dish, but I ate it as a main dish with fresh green beans from my friend's garden.