Tex-Mex Rice and Black-Eyed Peas with Chicken Sausage

My mother has ingrained in me a love of buying things on sale. She is not as cray-cray as those people on Extreme Couponing but she certainly appreciates a coupon, a BOGO, a clearance rack, or a rebate in any form. My dad likes to laugh (I think he has to laugh so he doesn't get frustrated) that she always has to make sure she spends enough at Kohl's to get her Kohl's bucks to come back and purchase more. I'm like my mom in many ways and I'm glad to have at least half her enthusiasm for a good deal.

When I'm planning on my meals for the week, you will find me perusing the Meijer ad and examining the Mperks coupons in order to save myself a little green. This is especially important for household things such as swiffer refills and laundry detergent as well as protein! Meat and tofu can be so expensive and if I'm planning a meal around a particular protein, you're gonna beat that I'm looking for it to be on sale. Sometimes the schedule may not be flexible enough, but I do stock up my freezer with chicken breasts, pork loins and fish when they are discounted.

Last week, Mperks had a coupon for these bad boys:

Chipotle Chicken Sausages!

I decided I would give them a whirl. When choosing for what to use them, the chipotle made me automatically gravitate towards Tex-Mex. I threw them into this southwest-style version of rice and beans. I've made the rice and black-eyed peas recipe without any sausage and it can certainly hold up as a vegetarian or vegan option. The chipotle sausage just added an extra little kick. This is a quick and easy meal that I would definitely recommend. :)

Tex-Mex Rice and Black-Eyed Peas with Chicken Sausage (adapted from Food Network Magazine)
Ingredients:

1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh salsa, plus more for serving
1/4 tsp ground cumin
14 oz can black-eyed peas, drained
1 cup water
1/2 cup cooked white rice
2 chipotle chicken sausages, sliced (optional, do not use for vegetarian/vegan)
2 cups fresh baby spinach
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
sour cream, for serving

Directions:
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the salsa and cumin and cook while stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, water, rice, and sausage (if using). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are creamy and tender, about 15 minutes. Stir the spinach and parsley in the pan until wilted, about 1 minute.

Serve garnished with additional salsa and sour cream.

Serves 2-3.