You know when you’ve been making a recipe for so long you kinda forget if it’s yours or someone else’s? Well, this Jambalaya recipe is one of those times. I have a vague recollection of changing the spices, increasing the water and removing dried parsley along the way, but that’s besides the point. It needs to be shared regardless.
I love this recipe because, um, it’s delicious, and it also uses only one pot and it freezes really well. So, you know when you’ve come home late and you’re about to open up the peanut butter jar? If you stock your freezer with meals like this, or any stew, soup, or pretty much anything that is basically not a raw salad – you’ve got a quick and easy meal at your fingertips that will actually satisfy what you’re rummaging around your cupboards for 😉
You know what else is amazing about this meal? Aside from it being a one pot meal – it contains red pepper, celery and onion finely chopped up – something that I generally always have in my fridge to sprinkle onto salads, mixed in tuna, in eggs – it just seems to be a staple in our house. So, for me, this meal requires a lot less prep.
Source: I’ve been making this recipe for so long I can’t recall if it’s someone else’s or mine 🙂
Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 ribs of celery, diced
1 medium purple onion, diced
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 can tomato paste
4 sausages, sliced into rounds – I use an antibiotic and hormone free cajun flavoured sausage
1/2 bag of organic raw shrimp – I like leaving the tails on because it looks neater and feels more authentic
1 cup raw brown rice
3 – 4 cups water (plus more if rice ends up not cooking quickly)
2 tsp cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 green onions, chopped (green part only)
optional fresh parsley for garnish
*I have also just used chicken breasts or thighs instead of shrimp or sausage – play around with it (and all recipes) it’s fun!
Directions:
Chop up all the veggies into tiny confetti and sautee with olive oil until onion is soft. For this particular day I made this recipe, I had some white onion and carrots already chopped so I threw them in as well
Peel the garlic to mince it. I like to gently crush the garlic with a knife for easier peeling
Add minced or zester garlic to the pot – I use a zester to grate garlic over the pan
Add tomato paste and stir
Add the sausage and let it brown
Add the raw frozen shrimp
Add the raw brown rice
Add the cajun seasoning and pepper
Add the water and ensure the rice is fully covered. Bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes, but checking frequently in case you need to add more water – continue until rice is cooked
Chop up green onion and parsley (optional) and mix into dish once ready to serve
Sarah Maughan is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist based in Toronto, ON and has been consulting since 2009. Her website aims to educate you, make you laugh, help you live and inspire you to eat whole food! To stay up to date sign up for free blog and recipe updates! In the meantime, empower your body with food!
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