Smoky Vegetable Jambalaya

During the week, I am always looking for meals that I can throw together quickly. I love meals that use items that I already have in my house. This vegetable jambalaya fits both those categories! This meal takes about 35-40 minutes from beginning to end, but most of the work is hands off while it is simmering on the stove.

I finely minced an onion and four cloves of garlic (mine were small). Over medium heat in a medium pot, I heated about two tablespoons of oil. I cooked the onion and garlic for about five minutes. Then, I added 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp thyme, and 1 tsp fennel seeds. I let that fry just until it became fragrant, which was about 30 seconds. I followed the spices with 150 grams white basmati rice and let that fry for about 2 minutes. Then, I added 1 bay leaf, 1 can drained and rinsed red kidney beans, 1 can diced tomatoes, and 750ml vegetable broth. Once at a simmer, I turned it down to medium low and simmered for 25 minutes. I removed the lid stirred in one can drained mixed vegetables and a portion of a bag of frozen vegetables (about 1 lb vegetables). Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for about five minutes.

This recipe is really great because you can easily change it to the items that you have on hand. You can use any type of bean and any type of vegetables. I also added a bell pepper when I added the diced tomatoes because I had it in my fridge. This is a great way to get rid of the leftover vegetables that have been sitting around!

Taste: 9/10

Notes for next time: Replace the bullion cubes and water with broth--I think this makes it easier. 

Original recipe link here!