It’s getting HOT in herre.

by

This week’s guest chef is a member of the Bumbling Band we all know, love & turn to for her recipe ideas.

Gena is a graduate student in the biomedical sciences, hoping to complete her education in May. When she’s not in the lab and needs to relax and reduce stress, she runs, cooks, and avoids cleaning the house. Gena shares her recipes on her blog Gena Cooks.

(MizFit note: she wrote the three sentences above so Im gonna toss in a few extra words: funny, motivated, creative, helpful, BEYOND SMART, athletic, fabulous.)

I love Cajun food. Actually, I love any extra spicy food. I do realize, however, that not everyone shares my love of heat. This recipe for Cajun red beans and rice is simple, healthy, and easily adjustable to your particular heat level. It also only takes about 30 minutes to cook, requires only a big skillet and a pot (hooray for less clean up!), and is full of veggies and grains.

Cajun Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:
Total time: 20 – 30 minutes
Serving: about 6 or so

2 cups rice, cooked (I use brown rice)
1 14 oz can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz andouille sausage or turkey sausage (andouille can be very hard to
find)*
2 green bell peppers
1 onion
2 stalks of celery (get at least one from the middle, with lots of
leaves)
2 large tomatoes or 1 10.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tbs paprika
Cayenne pepper to taste
Tabasco, Texas Pete, or other hot sauce, to taste

Procedure:
First of all, get the rice cooking if you’re not using the quick cook kind. My rice took way longer to cook than the whole rest of the meal!

Dice up the sausage and cook it over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Cajun cooking generally calls for andouille sausage, which has a wonderful flavor that makes any cajun dish have that little something distinct. However, it isn’t exactly low fat, and in my four years in NC I’ve never been able to find it in the grocery stores. Instead I tend to use a smoked turkey sausage of the precooked variety. It keeps down the fat levels and is still tasty. You’ll just need to add extra seasoning to make up for the difference!

When the sausage is browned, take it out of the skillet and throw in the diced up bell pepper, onion, and celery. Add in some chopped garlic if you’d like! Cook the veggies until they are starting to get soft, then chop up and add the tomatoes (or throw in the canned ones). Let this cook down for about 5 minutes.

Right, so now it’s time to season it all up. This is completely adjustable to your heat index. Start out with a little seasoning and then ramp it up until it’s as hot as you like. Start with about 2 tsp paprika – I used 2 tbs. Add the cayenne, starting with 1/8 of a tsp – I used, oh, 1.5 tsps I think, because I like it really hot! Put in a shake or two of hot sauce (you need that hot sauce flavor!) or 15 if you’re like me. Add 1 tsp salt and a few shakes of black pepper and you are all seasoned up!

Add the beans, drained and rinsed, and put the sausage back in the skillet. Once it’s all hot and bubbly again, serve it over the rice, with the bottle of hot sauce on the table in case anyone wants theirs a little hotter!

*You can easily leave out the sausage to make it a vegetarian meal, or
add diced chicken or pork for a meatier dish.

There you go, People. The food stylin’ tips from none other than Gena who is, perhaps, the only woman who mightcould convince me to try a dish this hothothot.

AND you *so* know that the final sentence has my MizFit name written all over it.

Im game to try & to add some extra diced chickenandsausage (I know. I know. Ill do turkey sausage.)

You?

Anyone have some vegetarian creativeness to add to the mix? Thoughts or suggestions?

Please to hit us up in the comments.

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Comments

  3. clickclicktoGOOOOGLE.

    organic cranberry beans? very cool!

    and natalia? me either—-at least before this recipe.

    we could make it simultaneously and take the first bite virtually together?

    Miz.

  7. I’m married to a Creole dude, so we’ve eaten our fair share of red beans & rice. If you can’t find Andouille sausage (or pickle meat, a mystery you can only find in NOLA) we often use Italian sausage.

    Looks like a GREAT recipe! Can’t wait to try! Thanks!

    Shelley

  9. Remember to add the Cayenne slowly, a little bit at a time, and you can find your own hotness factor! (I really just wanted to say hotness factor…)

    Stuperb has a great suggestion; italian sausage is a great sub for the anduoille.

  10. OOOOH *SUPERB* Stuperb.

    (ok, I’ve been longing to say that since you *joined* the Bumbling Band)

    And Lance? The only thing better would be a visit from GENA herself to make it.

    WAIT.

    Is that my *doorbell* I hear?!

    M.

  11. That looks yummy. I love me some red beans and rice! I’m definitely trying it.

    My husbands favorite song lyric? Red beans and rice didn’t miss her! I suppose you could guess his favorite part of my anatomy. 😉

  12. I am doing something very very similar to this recipe tomorrow night for my buddies, how strange! My version is almost identical, but I switch the oinking-sausage (or clucking sausage as here) for veggie sausage (or TVP mince) as we have veggies and vegans to think about, and add in cumin and a scoop of black treacle for depth. SPICEY! I am serving mine with vegan guacamole and salsa on the side.

    My fella used to FEAR the spice, but has managed to build up a good tolerance. Practice maketh perfect, Miz!

    TA x

  13. ok TA? With you in blogspirit girlfriend.
    So
    Need
    Laptop
    Help.
    (Blogger? Makes me freeze…and not in a good way like my coffee icedcubes)

    Robin? LOVE SEEING YOU and selfishly miss yer blogging.

    Anyone? I know it is NOT water which cuts the ‘heat’ when your mouth is on fire….but can’t recall what it is.

    Red wine (she thumbtypes hopefully)??

    M.

  14. Anything dairy cuts the heat; a big spoonful of yogurt or a gulp of milk should do the trick. (Not sure how well yogurt goes with cajun food, but it works great with Indian curries.)

  15. Miz – milk from Wisconsin. 🙂

    Or a bit o’sour cream on the side – FF or lite, of course.

    This sounds soooooo good. I went to NOLA over Xmas a few years ago pre-Katrina. LOVE LOVE LOVE that city. Some day I’ll go back!

    Can’t wait to make me summa dis he’ah.

  16. I love red beans and rice!

    We make a version almost exactly like this one, except for the celery (which is one vegetable I for some reason can’t stand).

    (Now if someone could figure out out a way to make a healthier version of crawfish etouffee not packed with butter but still tasty, I’d be all over that. Love cajun food).

  18. thanks for the suggestions!

    Red wine, yes? (Wink)

    Reason #28329128 why I do *guest chef* up in herre.

    M., who loves the raw celery but the mere thought o’the cooked makes her gag a tiny bit.

  19. Would this be one of those dishes tofu might work in? I’ve taken the plunge and actually *purchased* some tofu. Now I’m just searching for the right dish to try it out. Or maybe I’ll just try it with the chicken.

  20. Red or Black beans in rice are fantastic. Try some almond encrusted tilapia and a few fresh asparagus with it and complements and smiles will happen.

  21. ok I admit sometimes I dont look forward to thursdays because it isnt Miz but then I read the guest posts and love them.

    Im SO making this!!

  23. Husband would be wanting the chicken and sausage in the same dish as well…I’d be happy with vegetarian, maybe add some chipotle chili powder (or actual chipotle chilies) to give it a bit of smokiness (making up for the lack of sausage)?

    And we’re in the pile-on-the-spice crowd.

  24. And we’re in the pile-on-the-spice crowd.

    I swear I hath the most plain palate I know.

    Im heading to that Quaker Weekend soon and rumor has it we’re gonna have a Create A New Flavor (flava?) challenge type thing.

    why do I fear MizFit ‘Mazing Oats would be:

    get oats. add water. drop in peanut butter. stir. cram in piehole.

    perhaps I should add in some chipotle chilies??

    Miz.

  27. I think tofu would work ok!

    I havent tried it yet (tofu) but isnt it supposed to absorb the flavors around it?

  28. Sounds good. I may try it. Plain rice always gives me the hiccups, so this sounds great on a longer cardio day.

    Also MizFit, can’t you add powdered peanut butter to make your Mazing Oats?

  29. Gena is a VERY GOOD cook!!

    FESS UP DR J 🙂 are you speaking from experience?

    Also MizFit, can’t you add powdered peanut butter to make your Mazing Oats?

    YES but I *do* have a few ideastricks up my lackof sleeves. gotta bring something to the (breakfast) table…

    M.

  30. Yay, Gena! I don’t like kidney beans (I know, I know), but it sounds like it could easily be made without them. Or perhaps with chickpeas substituted in? Hm…

    I used to have a complete aversion to hot and spicy food. Am so glad that now I love it:)

    And Shelleys idea to use hot Italian sausage is great; that stuff is fantastic.

  31. Yum! I’ve been trying out some veggie sausages and I like Morning Star (so far, still trying out others). I would make this with the veggie sausage, for sure!

  32. I love Gena!!! This recipe sounds delish although I’m a bit stumped on how to make it vegetarian. It seems like if you leave the sausage out then you lose a lot of the flavor. I don’t do processed soy so veg. “sausage” wouldn’t fly with me either. Although I’d def. use chicken sausage for the hubby and kiddos. Thanks Gena!

  34. Felice? If you like the Morning Star links you will ADORE the patties.

    Charlotte? WOULD tofu work? Why do I think the texture would be wacky if nothing else?

    (And no. I’ve never eaten the ‘fu. I know….but I’m a poster child for nada. We’ve established that.)

    M.

  36. This looks great! For vegetarian options I would add some Okra (if you like that sort of thing) and Trader Joes carries soy andouille.

  37. I am commenting on experience, as Gena is my wife. This meal is delicious not just once, but the 2nd and 3rd time around in the microwave at work are just as good (if not better) than fresh off the stove!

  38. To cut the spice use citrus. I.E., a slice of lime in your water, or say, a margarita. You should know this Miz – you’re in Texas right?? I learned this when I moved to New MExico where the native chile can be HOT. I love spicey food… 🙂

  40. GP? How sweet are you?!

    (She thumbtypes mulling how Ren Man hasn’t ever commented up in herre…)

  42. Yummmmm thanks for the recipe. I will leaving the meat products out but Yummmmmmmm

    Thanks for your comment. It’s taken me a LONG time to get here. 🙂

    XOXO
    Shosh

  43. Sounds wonderful. My husband has an unusually high tolerance for heat. I’ve built mine up over the years.
    Tofu sour cream is a good way to soothe the burning palate for the veg. crowd and those who have dairy issues. So’s beer, even the fake stuff.

  44. Am I the only one who read the title of this post and, as if on autopilot, found herself chanting, “Good gracious, ass is bodacious!” Brainwashed by Nelly, forreal.


  46. Go liz!
    It’s yer birthday!
    We gonna cook like it’s yer birthday!!!

    M., who loves the hiphop.

  48. I’m glad you guys think it sounds good!

    Vegetarian options: you can just leave out the meat altogether, maybe add in a bit more seasoning, okra, and more veggies. Soy sausage would work well, and I think tofu might work, too. Maybe let it sit a little longer to let the tofu soak up more seasoning?

    If you don’t like kidney beans, try black beans or pinto beans. They have the same consistency.

    Too hot? Serve it with cornbread and a glass of milk to cut the heat. Beer and wine just tend to make it a little hotter, sorry!

  50. I hate to admit that I’m not a bean fan, but even I can find a way to like red beans and rice! Happily, andouille is becoming easier and easier to find. I mean, heck, if I can find it here in my tiny town in northern Wyoming, you city folk should be able to find it without a problem!

    Thanks for sharing!

  53. I LOVE kidney beans. Thank you, Gena! This looks delicious. And THANK YOU TINA also for reminding me where I’d seen soy andouille– TJ’s. This is definitely cooking at my house this weekend (I’m printing out the recipe for my husband, hehe.)

    I love spicy foods and probably overspice mine because I have the a smoker’s tastebuds (without the smoking). Someone told me in India poor people overspice their foods because it makes them more filling, and it’s true for me– anybody else notice that lots of cayenne or chili powder makes you feel full for hours in a way you probably shouldn’t (e.g. after a protein-negligable meal of white rice and Indian-style green beans)?

  57. ok, “myth-busters” fans…anyone see the one about spicy foods and how to cut the heat? Milk won overall! And tobasco sauce won for one guy…he said it totally cut the heat for him, but the other guy said the tobasco was torture for him. Interesting. Beer did nothing, water did very little, and bread was helpful, but not as good as milk.
    anyway! Recipe looks great!

  58. miz–I tried to reply to your email because I appreciate that you are checking in with me. For some reason, the email won’t deliver…if you have a suggestion or another way I can reply, I’ll try that. Otherwise, thank you for your encouragement and support!

  59. This sounds so good. I’ll have to try it–perfect for the semi-cooler temps we’ve been having in Houston (gawd, i love October here!).

    Miz – love those morningstar patties! I just crumbled one up on a low carb tortilla w/ my scrambled egg whites this morning. YUM!

    And, peanut butter in oatmeal? You may just be my freakin’ hero, Miz…(drooling at the thought of that one!)

  61. I put cumin in just about everything, it’s my current fave spice.

    My architect is a spicy southern boy, so I usually makes things at the upper limit of my spice tolerance & then it’s almost spicy enough for him 🙂

    This sounds like a great recipe for him. THANKS!

  62. Im with #21.
    I always think I wont visit on chef days and then I am glad that I did.
    my son loves hot spicy food.

    halloween night for this one!!

  63. Here’s the thing about tofu: it comes in different textures, and the texture you use determines how you prepare it, what you use it for, etc.

    I would use firm or extra firm for this recipe. Firm or extra firm tofu needs to be pressed prior to cooking to get all the extra water out, otherwise it will be a big soggy mess. No big deal–wrap the whole block of tofu in paper towels and press between plates in fridge for 15 minutes, turning tofu over midway (so top plate becomes bottom plate…change paper towels too).

    Cut tofu into 1 inch squares and maybe lightly saute the tofu in onions, teensy bit of olive oil, and spices (peppers too if you like)…grilled tofu is also delicious.

    Another commenter mentioned Italian sausage as a substitution for andouille…be careful. I love Italian sausage too but it is LOADED with fat, so much fat it’s scary.

    Gosh, I’m always talking about tofu lately 🙂

  65. I made a dish similar to this last week, but this sounds way better! We use tofurkey brats instead of meat (I just realized I’ve been vegetarian for 15 years!), but if you don’t like the processed soy, try tempeh! I am not a fan of the ‘fu, and tempeh is actually higher in protein and has an interesting nutty flavor (I *love* it).

    For me, the only thing that works to cut the spice is not milk, but having a small dish of rice. It is like throwing water on a fire, I swear!

    And I have a suggestion for a new oatmeal flavor: coffee with bananas and almonds (for me) or mint chai (to be trendy? I don’t know, it just came to me, like a flash of vision! haha)

    Thanks for the great recipe!

  66. great GOOGLY MOOGLY I have a lot to learn about food.

    well not *learn* so much as purchase’xperiment.

    My list from today is growing (whole foods as, alas, there is no Austin TJ’s!) and Ive added tofurky brats (thanks ann!)

    Spring? call me intuitive but I think you like tofu? yes? (wink)

    and Ann? wanna climb in my suitcase and come along?

    I love this:

    coffee with bananas and almonds

    and I just might have a few extra frozencoffeeCUBES we can toss in if it gets too hot.

    In a serious & mysterious vein Im leaning toward savory oats I think…

    M.

  68. Savory oats like chicken pot pie flavor? biscuits and gravy flavor? pepperoni pizza?

    And Mizfit, you’ve gotta try the tempeh if you haven’t already. You’ll like it, it’s high in protein!

  69. *runs and jots it all down in a notebook marked MizFit’s Top Secret Quaker Ideas*

    Why YES Ann.
    Just like that!

    And I haven’t tried it yet.

    Whole Foods. Tomorrow. Sans Toddler. I’m there & I’m browsing.

    M.

  70. sounds very yummy. I love cajun and hubby loves the HEAT. He puts hot sauce on everything.

    I have being doing a lot of veggie lentil soup the last few months. A big pot lasts all week and it’s full of fiber.

  71. Sounds good! You could make a veggie version without tofu, but with the sausage flavor if you left out the sausage (obviously), but added all the spices that are used to MAKE sausage. Seriously. About 90% of what makes sausage taste like sausage is spices, not meat.

    For Andouille sausage flavor, you’d want some combination of:
    paprika
    garlic
    black pepper
    salt
    thyme
    red pepper flakes or cayenne

    Some people also use sage, liquid smoke and/or cumin (I like sage).

    For Hot Italian Sausage, use some combination of these spices:
    salt
    black pepper
    red pepper flakes
    garlic
    paprika
    anise seeds
    fennel seeds
    (the anise and fennel are the keys to the flavor of Italian sausage)

    I’ve made stuff in the past where I didn’t have sausage on hand, so I just threw a bunch of sausage seasonings into the pot, and it came out FANTASTIC.

  73. **Waving to Robin** Hi!! (Baby Got Back, the story of my life)

    I love red beans and rice, but I’ve never made it myself (unless you count Zatarains- please don’t shoot me people, for cooking from a box). This sounds yummy, and the Hubs might even eat it.

    Oh, and Miz, I totally forgot to tell you that I tried the peanut butter oatmeal the other day, and it was sooo yummy.

    And yes, I will be adding more comments to your recent posts, so look for an influx of emails. = )

  75. RooBabs! DID you try the pb oats? Ok, I’ll have to try them, now. I was skeptical, I must admit. (Sorry, Miz – the popcorn recipe made me wary. LOL) But I LOVE peanut butter. YUM.

    Miz? Anytime. I was just sorry I couldn’t think of amounts off the top of my head! 🙂

  76. RooBabs! DID you try the pb oats? Ok, I’ll have to try them, now. I was skeptical, I must admit. (Sorry, Miz – the popcorn recipe made me wary. LOL)

    No offense taken as, Marste, it means you are OFFICIALLY my friend.

    No one who knows me will EVER take my word for the fact that a food tastes good.

    EVER.

    They know Ive food as fuel’ed it for far too long.

    Mis, who is duly excited at the Roo sighting.

  77. I read all the comments but I think I will pretend that I NEED to have beer with this in case it’s too spicy.

    even though I know I should be drinking milk 🙂

  78. This sounds SO GOOD! I’m kicking myself for using up all of our endouille sausage last week. FYI: they usually sell at Trader Joe’s.

    I may have to try this recipe this weekend. Hubby and I love having some heat sometimes 🙂

  79. That sounds so incredible!! Not to mention super easy. I’m not a big red bean kinda gal so I think I’ll sub them for black beans….slurp!

  80. sounds yummy.

    and thanks to gena for being awesome and giving hope of culinary aspirations to the other biomedical graduate student(s?) reading this blog. 😉

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