WOO WHOA!! MARDI GRAS! I wish I was down in New Orleans today celebrating… and soaking up some warmth and sunshine, catching beads, maybe even taking my shirt off(?!!?)
No, I keep my shirt on today because I am not like that, and also, I would die of hypothermia. Today I wear a shirt, underneath 5 other shirts ad sweaters. Because today is just another day of -20 below here in Vermont.
To keep me from going completely crazy, I am thinking of warm weather and I am thinking of New Orleans (love that place!) and the humongo celebration that's been going on there for the past week. Everyone partying out in the streets. Big floats and beads all around. I might be feeling a little jealous, (more of the weather then the partying) but thats ok, I have TV to watch and a warm comforter to wrap myself up in. And maybe I should have done a post of fried donuts or of some type of alcohol party drink to celebrate the day, but I really just wanted to make something warm and spicy, so I went with some dank cajun beans. And also I wanted to sing…. "Beans Beans the musical fruit, the more you eat the more you toot!!" hehe
But for real, these beans are sooooo f-ing tasty and super versatile. You can serve the spicy beans with the rice or just eat just the beans. You could do the beans and add to a bed of kale (me) or add cheese, guacamole and a few corn tortillas to the mix (the mister). Simple to make, super tasty and full of flavor! And pretty freaking heathy to boot! This dish gets an A+!
This dish is so full of flavor but so simple to make. We start with presoaked black beans drained and rinsed. Cajun seasoning (which is basically 1 part onion powder, thyme, oregano, and 2 parts paprika, garlic powder, cayenne power, and salt and pepper) Sliced onion and jalapeno, and a few tablespoons of tomato paste. Oh, and the rice.
Beans are in a pot filled with water unit beans are completely sumerged. Add in the onion, jalapeño, tomato paste and cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil then cover with a lid and simmer for about 45 minutes….. After about a half hour, start up the rice. Water in pot with rice, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
The rice is done and fluffed with at fork. The beans are cooked with just the tiniest bit of bite, bathing in a thick spicy tomatoey sauce. The chunks of onion and jalapeño have broken down and are hiding in every bite…. Oh so good!
Now get ready for the bowl!!! 
Bringing a little spice and nice to this crazy cold winter day or any fun festivities you may have planned.
Have a Fantastic Day.. Stay Warm or if you already are.. lucky you!
-C
Cajun Black Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dried black beans* soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight..Rinse and strained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- salt and pepper
- 1 Jalapeño
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 tomato (I used a large roma)
- 1 1/2 cup of dried rice plus 3 cups water
*If you want to use canned beans, go for it…Just sub in 2 cans rinsed and strained black beans and only add a cup of water to the beans. Pre sauté the onion and the jalapeño before adding to the beans and only simmer the beans for about 15 minutes.
Place you soaked beans into a pot and fill with water until the beans are completely summered. Slice the jalapeño and onion and add to the pot along with the tomato paste and the cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil then place a lid on it and turn heat down to low. Let simmer for about 45 minutes or until the beans are completely cooked.
When the beans are about half way done, add rice to water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, place a lid on pot and turn heat down to simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed and rice is tender. Fluff with a fork.
To sever. place a scoop of two of rice to a bowl and top with a scoop of two of beans.… Top with diced tomatoes and scallions… (The mister added shredded pepper jack to his and thought it was excellent)
Eat with a fork or spoon.