New Orleans Jambalaya

Prep: Wash and dry the produce. Peel and dice the onion. Thinly slice the celery. Mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the kidney beans. Remove parsley leaves from stems, roughly chop the parsley leaves and discard the stems.

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery and garlic and 3 tablespoons water. Steam, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes and their juices, beans, vegetable broth, rice, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir well and cover.

Reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables and rice are soft, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the vegan sausage into 1/2 inch rounds. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sausage, flipping occasionally and cook until browned on both sides, about 5-7 minutes.

Before serving, add the vegan sausage and 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce into the rice and vegetable mixture. (Use more or less Tabasco sauce depending on your affinity for spice.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley, serve hot, and enjoy!