Comfort Food: Black Bean Jambalaya

It's Comfort Food Week and this is one of my favorite feel-good meals. Last week when I was being all dramatic about having a cold (it was really bad, I swear) I dug into my recipe bin and soothed my aching ego with some healthified versions of usually high-calorie meals.

By Sunday night, I was feeling much, much better. I'd rested from exercise all week (agony!), drank about 15 gallons of water, gone through two bags of cough drops, and then there was all the soup. I felt good enough for another of my comfort-food faves: Black Bean Jambalaya! It's so so good and feels like love when you eat it.

With a side of steamed green beans,
this is cozy all the way!

Black Bean Jambalaya

• 1 cup cooked long grain brown rice (this is about 1/3 cup dry cooked in 1.5 cups of water)
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion and green pepper
• Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper
• 1/2 cup cooked black beans
• 2 ounces andouille sausage (I like Aidell's) 
• 2 ounces chicken breast

What To Do
1. Cook the rice and while it is simmering, add the onion and green pepper. Add the seasoning and let it cook until the rice is done. Add in the sausage and black beans.

2. Cook the chicken and add to the rice mixture. 

3. Eat it.

Okay, I know those instructions leave a little to be desired. But really, it is that simple. You just cook the stuff that needs to be cooked (the rice and the chicken) and then mix everything together! It is so good and is the perfect combination of two of my favorite things: jambalaya and black beans and rice.

When you're feeling like you need some love, cook up this dish. It reminds me of my home in Louisiana, but it's much healthier than anything I've eaten there!

Get out there and get healthy, even (especially) if you have a cold!