White Beans and Rice

Someday I'm going to make the husband red beans and rice. After all, the poor guy has been asking for it for just about ever. I tried. Actually, I've tried twice now.

This time I swore I had kidney beans in the cupboard, but, to the husband's dismay, I only had Great Northern beans.

I thought I could get the beans by the husband so I just served dinner with acknowledging the red beans and rice minus the red. But there was no fooling the man who gave me his name.

"There's something seriously wrong here," he smirked at me. "These beans aren't red!" But he didn't seem to mind much - and neither did I because I ate this meal for dinner, lunch the next day and dinner the night after that.

Third time's the charm, right? Till then, I guess he'll have to settle for white beans and rice and hope that I remember to buy kidney beans the next time we're at the store.

White Beans and Rice

Inspired by Cooking Light

olive oil cooking spray

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 (8.8-ounce) precooked brown rice (I used Uncle Ben's)

1 (16-ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drains

1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes

1/4 tsp salt

freshly ground pepper

1/2 tablespoon Creole seasoning

red pepper flakes, to taste

9 ounces chicken (seasoned with about a tsp Creole seasoning and another tsp of freshly ground pepper and then baked)

Heat a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Cook mushrooms until they begin to brown. Stir in the cooked rice, beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper, Creole seasoning and red pepper.

Cover the skillet and bring to a boil. Turn the burner down and simmer for about five minutes. Stir in the cooked chicken, which you've cut into small pieces.

Serve with shredded cheese, if your husband loves cheese like mine, or just enjoy with a nice salad on the side.

Recipe makes 4 generous 1-cup servings

Amount per serving, as per my specific ingredients and calculations: 278 calories, 2.2 g fat, 40.24 g carbs, 8.1 g fiber, 39 g protein