Creole Lima Bean Stew

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 3 celery, stalks thinly sliced
• 1 large green bell peppers or 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 2 tablespoons unbleached flour
• 2 cups water
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen baby lima beans, thawed
• 1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (28 ounce) can salt-free diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning (mrs. dash salt-free table blend or mccormick seasonings)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• hot cooked rice (optional)

Recipe

• 1 heat the oil in a big soup pot; add in onion; saute over medium heat until translucent.
• 2 add in celery and bell pepper; saute another 5 minutes.
• 3 slowly sprinkle in the flour and stir until well integrated with the vegetables, then stir in the water.
• 4 add in the next 8 ingredients (lima beans through red pepper flakes); bring to a rapid simmer, then decrease heat; cover and simmer gently for 30-35 minutes.
• 5 season with salt and pepper, then stir in the parsley.
• 6 add a small amount of water if needed, but let the stew remain thick.
• 7 adjust the other seasonings if needed; discard bay leaves.
• 8 serve in bowls over hot cooked rice.