Vegan Red Beans and Rice

I've recently been turned on to "southern" style foods.. beyond just Mexican style and comfort foods, there are some traditional foods of the south that usually consist mostly of ribs, pork, butter, shrimp gumbo and anything heavily fried. To me- that all a bit unhealthy, and reeking of too much animal products for a vegan to cope with. I have started creating vegan versions of popular southern foods, such as red beans and rice which a friend at work suggested I try, as it's a big hit in Louisiana but is usually smothered with meat and who knows what else. This version is healthy and delicious! I found this recipe on Budgetbites.com. Give it a go and let me know what you think :) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium onion
1 medium bell pepper
4 stalks of celery
4 cloves of garlic
2 cans of red kidney beans, or 1 lb. of dry beans (soaked in the fridge the night before)
6 cups of vegetable broth
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 teaspoon of oregano
½ tablespoon of smoked paprika
dash of black pepper
pinch of cayenne (or more to your liking)
6 cups of cooked rice
1 bunch of green onions, sliced

Instructions:

Dice the celery, pepper, onion and garlic. Cook these ingredients in a large pot with olive oil on medium heat until soft.

Add beans (rinse first if they were dry and soaked) to the pot. Add veggie broth and seasonings too. Mix well and turn heat on high until mixture boils and then turn down to low and simmer, covered, for around 15 minutes if the beans were canned and 2 hours if the beans were soaked.

Mash the beans a bit to make a thick mixture. Allow to simmer as long as you desire, and then serve in bowls with a scoop of cooked rice on top. Garnish with chopped green onions.