Healthy Jambalaya Recipe

I'm always asked to share my recipes, so here's one to try. It's a healthier version of Jambalaya but still has all the flavor. I find that people are always looking for something new to cook. Everybody gets stuck in a rutt with the same old meals every week. I know because I used to be that person too. It's really the favor of the Lord that I am even sharing recipes or have a cooking group! I have never been a big cook nor would I EVER cook for someone! If we ever had company over, it was my husbands job to cook. He's a fantastic chef, but being health conscious when he cooks is not what's on his mind :)

A couple of years ago I started experimenting more with recipes and trying new flavors. I began to really enjoy cooking. The next thing I knew, I had several women approach me about teaching them to cook or asking if I could give them some pointers in the kitchen. I felt like the Holy Spirit was telling me to start the "Cook" and show women how to cook, make it healthy and delicious, not spend all night in the kitchen and show them how they to can open up their home and invite others in without the worry of "what will they think about my house?" I invited about 5 women and said you are invited into my home on a school night to learn how to cook. There will be kids running around and homework being done and possibly no toilet paper in the bathroom but this is my everyday life and you're welcome in it! It was like a relief for me to say that and to take that burden off of myself to have my house "perfect" before they arrived. We have always hosted people in our home but all hell would break loose before they got there because of the pressure I would put my family through to make sure the house was perfect before they arrived. I am happy to say that the Lord has freed me from that burden! People are just happy to be invited to your house. They don't care what it looks like!

So with all that said this was a stretch for me to cook for others and have people in my home and on a school night! It was crazy but God gave me peace and freedom in it.

Last night I cooked this delicious crockpot jambalaya. I usually cook it on the stove but with the first week back to school I knew I needed some quick and easy meals ready for this week. The prep time is about 15-20 minutes and then you're done.

Ingredients

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp thyme

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1 package of turkey sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cups of chopped onions

1 cup of chopped green bell pepper

1 cup of chopped red pepper

1 cup of chopped celery

1 can of low sodium diced tomatoes, undrained (I used the garlic flavored)

1 cup of low sodium chicken broth (organic if you can)

4 bay leaves

3-4 chicken breasts cut into strips (about 1.5-2 pounds)

2 cups of instant brown rice

*Optional: Add a few drops of tobasco before you add chicken and stir.

Directions

Layer your crockpot with the sausage on the bottom then throw in your onions, celery, peppers, tomatoes, broth and bay leaves and sprinkle with about half your seasonings and stir. Top that with your chicken and pour the rest of the seasoning mixture on top. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. (Until chicken is cooked through. Note that too long in the crockpot can lead to dry chicken)

Gently stir in rice the last 30 minutes of your cook time.

Remove bay leaves before serving. Enjoy!

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20