Easy Low Glycemic Cajun Beans and Rice

I absolutely love rice! But... sadly, it is really bad for my blood sugars.

I've been trying to eat lower glycemic things recently due to being a Type 1 Diabetic and the horrible effects of high glycemic foods on my blood sugars. So I made this recipe for one of my favorites: Cajun rice and beans.

Typically, I would cook up some dried black beans or pinto beans for this recipe, but this is the easy version, so I used a can. This also makes about 9 cups of finished product, because I like leftovers!

Easy Low Glycemic Cajun Beans and Rice

5 cups water
1 pint salsa
1 can (15.25 oz) black beans, drained (if you cook your own beans this comes to about 1.5 cups)
1 Tbsp (+/- to taste) Cajun seasoning (I like the McCormick brand)
1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
2 cups uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup quinoa
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring water, salsa, beans, seasoning, and oil to a boil in a large pan on medium heat. Add rice and quinoa stirring immediately after adding to prevent sticking. Cook on medium heat covered, stirring occasionally for about 25 min or until rice is tender. If rice is not tender, and the water appears to be gone add a little bit more water, no more than a cup, and continue cooking. When rice is tender, remove from heat and let the pan sit covered for about 5-10 minutes before serving. As it is this is a vegan meal. I love to eat it with some cheddar cheese and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, which would still make it a vegetarian option.

Prep time: about 30 min.
Makes about 9 servings at 1 cup per serving