Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

Apologies for nearly a week with no post.  I've been eating leftovers and vacationing in Portland, Maine (where I was happy to discover the very vegan-friendly Pepperclub restaurant) but tonight I am home and working over the stove again.  This quick gumbo was the perfect thing to whip up after a weekend away, especially because it almost entirely relies on chopped frozen veggies instead of a lot of prep work.

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 and 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag brown rice
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 cup frozen chopped onion
• 1 cup frozen chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup frozen cut okra
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 cups chopped and cooked Gardein Tuscan chicken breast (without sauce)
• 2 (4-ounce) Tofurky kielbasa
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with peppers and onions (such as Del Monte)
• 1 and 3/4 cups vegan chicken broth (prepared from Not Chick'n bouillon)

1. Cook the rice according to package directions, then drain and set aside.

2. While the rice cooks, combine the flour and canola oil in a Dutch oven; saute over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.  Add the onion, green bell pepper, okra, celery, garlic, thyme, and ground red pepper; cook for 3 minutes, still stirring frequently.

3. Cut the kielbasa into 1-inch pieces, and add to the pan, along with the cooked chicken, tomatoes, and broth; cook for 6 minutes.

4. Place 1/2 cup of rice in each of 4 bowls or deep plates, and ladle 1 and 1/2 cups gumbo over each serving of rice.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1 and 1/2 cups gumbo, 1/2 cup rice), Calories 369 

Tasting Notes:
Quite tasty, although a little on the fiery side for me.  Since the heat took center stage, it directed my taste buds away from the myriad other items I love in this dish - the okra and kielbasa in particular.  Still, gumbo is meant to be spicy, and it was wonderfully hearty.  I served with some extra plain okra on the side, and a big piece of French baguette to soak up any leftover juices!

Rating:
3.5