Jambalaya

As I've told you my Dad was from the South. He grew up in New Orleans actually. I spent Halloween on Bourbon Street in 1998 and I fell in LOVE with the city. All the music and culture. Palm readers, performers, street cars, people watching, food..the food was fabulous! I was very lucky to have my Dad as my tour guide. He showed me where his stompin grounds were growing up and told me the story behind lots of things. It was a wonderful vacation.

I don't pretend that this Jambalaya is anything close to what they make in New Orleans but it's pretty good and it is really quick to make. I made this the first time when I was doing Weight Watchers so that's why it isn't the normal ingredients. It is also fairly low in calories..until you add the rice. If you want to watch your calories, spoon over the rice instead of cooking the rice with it. Same taste, less calories.

Here's what you'll need
3-4 Chicken Breasts cubed
12 Shrimp~the cooked ones you use for Shrimp Cocktail, tails removed
1 C Turkey Sausage diced~optional
3 Zucchini cubed
1 Pepper diced~I used a combination of colors because that's what I had
1/2 Red Onion sliced
3 cloves Garlic minced
1 can Diced Tomatoes
2 C Chicken Broth
2 C Instant Brown Rice
1 t Cumin
2-3 t Cayenne Pepper
Soy Sauce
PickaPeppa Sauce
Few splashes of Hot Sauce

Cube your chicken and sausage and put in a pan with 2 cloves garlic and 2 T Soy Sauce. Saute until chicken is cooked through and sausage is browned, about 5 minutes depending on size of cubes. In a wok pan, throw all the vegetables and 1 clove garlic in the pan on high heat. You don't want these vegetables to sweat, you want to cook quick. Pour about 1/4 C Pik a Peppa sauce over the vegetables and 1 T Soy Sauce. Cook the vegetables for only about 2-3 minutes total. Add Chicken Broth, diced Tomatoes, chicken, cumin and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil. Stir in 2 C Instant Brown Rice, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir and add shrimp. Cover and cook another couple of minutes until the rice is cooked through. Splash with the hot sauce, give it a stir and serve.
Slice your zucchini in strips and then cube.

Here are all the vegetables diced, sliced and cubed.

Chicken in the pan with garlic and soy sauce. I did not use sausage this time because I didn't want the extra calories.

Vegetables in the pan with the PickaPeppa Sauce

Chicken done.

Looking good

Add the liquid and rice. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add shrimp, cover and cook a couple more minutes.

DONE!

Enjoy your little taste of the South!