Crockpot Red Beans and Rice

By: Co+op, welcome to the table

Recipe Information
Total Time: 7 hours,15 minutes; 15 minutes active
Servings: 4-6

Laissez les bons temps rouler! Mardi Gras is just around the corner, so you couldn’t ask for a better time to brush up on your cajun-style cuisine. In the mood to get creative? Swap collard greens in this recipe for organic chard - on sale right now at your Co-op for just $1.99 per bunch.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried kidney beans

• 1/2 cup long grain brown rice

• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped

• 1 large carrot, chopped

• 1 bunch collard greens, chopped

• 5 cups water

• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Heat a pot of water to boiling, add kidney beans and boil beans for ten minutes. Drain beans.

2. Combine 5 cups water, drained kidney beans, brown rice, bell pepper, carrot and Cajun seasoning in a slow cooker. Cover and set on low, and cook for 6 hours.

3. Open the cooker, add the salt and collard greens, and stir. Cover and cook for another hour.

4. When the beans are tender, serve or transfer to containers to refrigerate or freeze.

Serving Suggestion

Serve as a side dish to roasted chicken, or feature it as an entrée with a slice of cornbread.

Avocado Herb Dip

By: Robin Asbell

Recipe Information
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 3 (3/4 cup)

Simple, easy, and tasty - this dip is perfect for your Super Bowl party. It’s the perfect time to shop, too, since fresh, organic avocados are just 99 cents each right now at your Co-op! You won’t have to look far, they’re right up front next to tomatoes, jalapeños, and everything else you need to make a delicious dip.

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic, peeled

• 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon

• 1 large avocado

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, fat free or low fat

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Baguette slices, pita wedges, carrot sticks or sliced veggies for dipping

Preparation

1. In a food processor, mince the garlic and tarragon by pulsing and scraping the mixture down until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the avocado, yogurt and salt and process until smooth.

2. Transfer to a medium bowl and serve with dippers. Any leftover dip can be covered with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface of the dip to prevent air contact (which causes discoloration), for a couple of days.

Serving Suggestions

This dip makes a great after school snack for kids or as an appetizer. It's easy enough to whip up to feed a crowd of any size.