Slow Cooker Red Bean, Sausage and Rice Soup

Slow Cooker Red Bean, Sausage and Rice Soup

1 medium garlic clove(s), minced

1 medium red onion(s), chopped

1 large celery, rib, chopped

1 medium green pepper(s), chopped

15 oz canned kidney beans, dark-variety, rinsed and drained

14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes, undrained

9 oz cooked chicken sausage, andouille-style, cut into bite-size pieces

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp black pepper

6 cup(s) fat-free chicken broth

1 cup(s) uncooked white rice, converted-variety recommended

Place garlic, onion, celery, bell pepper, beans, tomatoes with their juices and sausage in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add thyme and pepper; stir well.

Pour in broth and rice; stir again. Cover slow cooker and set on high power; cook for 4 hours. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

We recommend converted rice because regular long-grain rice can become mushy in slow cooker recipes.

This is a weight watchers recipe. I was so good! We substituted sweet italian turkey sausage since we couldn't find chicken sausage and it tasted great. Mom and dad loved it...what about the tough critics? The 3 year old took her one courtesy bite and devoured her toast that we has with it. The 1 1/2 year old liked it. He ate about half of his serving and most of his toast. We will make this again because it warms a person up on a cold day and overall it was a success.