Bean Stew (kid approved)

Bean Stew
Ingredients:
6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (I use vegetable broth)
1 cup dry beans, picked over and rinsed
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely diced
3 tbsp uncooked white rice
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Directions:
Place all ingredients in the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 - 5 hours.
*TIP - Can be used as a freezer meal, but... do not add the broth. Place all the ingredients (minus the broth) in a ziploc bag before cooking and place in freezer. Once you are ready to make it, you will need to leave it in the fridge overnight to thaw. Then you will add the broth to the crock pot.