
Dice the onion, celery, and mini sweet peppers. (Optional for extra depth: Sauté the vegetables with the olive oil in a skillet for a few minutes before adding them to the slow cooker.)
Add the diced vegetables, rinsed long-grain white rice, drained and rinsed kidney beans, vegetable broth, and all of your seasonings (smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder, mushroom umami seasoning, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and the bay leaf) to the slow cooker. Stir well to combine.
Cover and cook on High for 3 to 3.5 hours, until the rice is perfectly tender and has absorbed the broth.
Finish and Serve. Remove the bay leaf and fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with fresh parsley or green onions, and serve warm with your favorite hot sauce.