I had big plans for Healthy Delicious this September, with an editorial calendar packed full of delicious early-fall recipes. I was finally going to get back into my groove and start posting twice a week again. For the first week, all went according to plan. But here it is September 27 and I’ve managed to share a whopping 4 new recipes this month. Womp womp.

Managing this site, plus my day job, plus trying to have an actual life occasionally is difficult and sometimes things just get derailed. This month an impromptu trip to New Orleans (more about that later), a long-planned (but poorly planned for) trip to NYC, a few recipes flops, and  a super obnoxious bout of bronchitis got the best of me. Hopefully I can get back into a good groove for October.

For the last few years, people have expressed surprise that I’d never been to New Orleans. They all told me that I’d love the city and that it’s full of great food, but it had never been at the top of my list. To be honest, I thought it was just a party town and I wasn’t really interested. But a few weeks ago we wanted to get out of town and tickets were cheap so we figured we’d check it out for ourselves. I have to admit, everyone was right. I came home so full that I was actually tired of eating, and I wonder why every town isn’t filled with jazz clubs and bars that sell daiquiris to go. It would make the world a happier place, for sure.

We ate char-grilled oysters (yum), enjoyed a tasting menu at Cocquette, and had some of the best seafood of our lives at Peche (we went for dinner on Monday and I seriously considered trying to go back before we left Tuesday). Next time, I’ll bring an empty duffel bag with me for the sole purpose of bringing home muffulettas from Central Market and I’ll plan time for daily affogatos at Drip, which is basically the cutest coffee shop I’ve ever seen.

Out of everything we ate over our five days there, the thing that was the most memorable was a simple side of beans and rice at Napoleon House. I ordered it on a whim and didn’t have high expectations, but it was love at first bite. Halfway through the bowl, I knew I’d have to learn how to make them at home.

This recipe for instant pot red beans and rice wasn’t on my the original plan for September, and it doesn’t hold a candle to the bowl I had there, but it’s well worth the detour. They’re warm, cozy, and comforting and I already know they’ll be a staple on my dinner table this fall and winter.

I did a ton of research on how to make red beans and rice, and found that while the recipes all call for more or less the same handful of simple ingredients, they also vary tremendously in how they use those ingredients. Some are mostly beans with a little bit of seasoning, while others call for a metric ton of onions and enough garlic to keep the most persistent vampire far, far away.

I split the difference and used enough seasoning to give these beans flavor without being completely overpowering. I also adapted the recipe for the instant pot because creamy beans are key to this dish, and the best way to get those is to start with dry beans. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time to cook dried beans on the stovetop. With the instant pot, these red beans can be ready in about an hour and a half. You can eat them right away, but I do find that they taste better the next day. Like a good pot of chili, the flavors seem to get simultaneously more complex and more mellow after a night in the refrigerator. Make them Sunday night, and they’ll be perfect for a simple heat-and-serve dinner on Monday.

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Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Additional Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 links Andouille sausage diced
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 rib celery chopped
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 green bell pepper finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 pound dry red kidney beans
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
• Cooked white rice for serving
• Hot sauce for serving

Instructions

• Add the oil to the insert and turn to sauté. Add the sausage and cook 7-8 minutes, or until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
• Add the onions to the pot insert and cook 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic, celery, and green pepper. Season with cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook 5-6 minutes, or until the vegetables soften.
• Add the beans, sage, and bay leaves. Add enough stock to cover the beans; stir to combine.
• Place the lid on the pot and seal. Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes.
• Allow the pressure to release naturally. Stir in the browned sausage, using the back of your spoon to gently mash some of the beans until they look creamy. Stir in the vinegar and green onions.
• Serve the red beans with rice and top with hot sauce, as desired.

When I go out to eat and see something on the menu that’s a little off the beaten path, I have a hard time not ordering it. It doesn’t matter if we picked the restaurant based on the fact that I was craving a burger or a big plate of vegetables or some other unexciting dish — if they have something that I’ve never heard of before, chances are I’ll order it. If it’s bad, that just means I get to have dessert!

Rabbit? Check.

Alligator? Double Check.

Salmon en Manchamanteles? I may not be able to pronounce it, but it was fabulous.

This dish, which translates to “tablecloth stainer” (oh boy is it messy!), was on the menu at Rosa Mexicano last summer and I couldn’t resist the description of ancho chile and tropical fruit mole. Chock full of zucchini and pineapple, the mole was smokey and complex. I loved the sweetness of the pineapple against the rich sauce, and to pair it with salmon seemed totally natural (even though I don’t think I’ve ever seen salmon on a Mexican menu at any other restaurant). I first ordered this a full year ago, and I still think about it. Obviously, I had to try making it at home. I’ll be honest — my version doesn’t compare to theirs. But it’s still pretty darn good, and easy enough to make on a weeknight.

Salmon Recipes to Make at Home

• How to Air Fry Salmon
• Frozen Salmon in Air Fryer
• Roast Salmon with Romesco Sauce and Pumpkin Grits
• Sriracha Salmon Salad
• Jerk Salmon Rice Bowls
• Miso Salmon in Broth
• Two-Minute Salmon Teriyaki
• Tea-Smoked Salmon
• Cedar Plan Salmon

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Salmon en Manchamanteles

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 Tbs Olive Oil
• 1 small Onion chopped
• 1 can low-sodium Black Beans undrained
• 1 cup chopped Pineapple with 1/4 cup reserved juice
• 1 cup Corn
• 2 Tbs Mole paste such as Goya
• 2 Tbs Lime Juice
• 2 Salmon filets
• 2 tsp. Ancho Chile Powder

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil is got, add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened — about 5 minutes.
• Add the beans, pineapple and reserved juice, corn, mole paste, and lime juice. Stir well. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have melded.
• Meanwhile, rub the salmon filets with the chile powder. Heat a second pan over medium-high heat and spray with cooking oil. Add the salmon, presentation side down, and cook for 6 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until just pink in the center.
• Serve the salmon on top of the mole.