Skinny Crockpot Cajun Bean Soup

While many folks take the slow cooker out only during the fall and winter months, I prefer to keep mine on my counter top for full year access. This soup can be made year round and embodies the best of Louisiana flavors, and surprisingly is incredibly simple, affordable, and our course fits into our Skinny Louisiana lifestyle.

Many of you may not know this, but I committed a huge ‘no-no’ in my life. I married a Yankee. Well, he is really from the mid-west, but let’s be honest, anyone not from Louisiana is a Yankee. I am almost positive my cooking won him over, and this dish is one of his favorites.

We ‘skinny-ed’ this dish by first getting rid of the ‘seasoning packet’ included in a 15-bean soup mix and replaced with 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning. Continue by adding low-sodium turkey sausage, low-sodium beef broth and water. Finally, a dish can’t be called a Skinny Louisiana dish without our trinity: celery, green pepper, and onion. The ending result – we have an amazing weeknight meal for when we arrive home from work loaded with fiber and protein.

When I first made this dish for my husband, I used 4 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning. While I was fine, he was not! I cut down on the seasoning, but please, add more if you like a little spice.

Skinny Crockpot Cajun Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 bag of 15-bean soup mix
2 celery stalks, chopped fine
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 green pepper, chopped fine
1 pound of low-sodium turkey sausage (I used low sodium Butterball)
2 cans of low-sodium beef broth
4 cups of water
2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 7 hours.
3. Serve.