It is supposed to mean good luck and prosperity for the year. The southern tradition of greens and black eyed peas. let's try and make it a little healthier for you. These recipes are adapted from several authors and made vegetarian by emaxhealth.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Hoppin’ John
½ pound dry Blackeye peas
4 cups water
¼ pound vegetarian Italian “sausage”
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
½ cup green pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 packet Sazon Goya seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
Hot pepper sauce to taste
3 cups water
1 cup long-grain rice (can use brown rice for more fiber)
Sort and wash beans. In a 6 to 8 quart pot, soak beans in 4 cups water. Do not drain. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook sausage with olive oil until heated through. Add onion, pepper, and celery; cook until tender. Add mixture to beans in pot. Stir in remaining ingredients except for the rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender. Add more hot water if necessary. Beans should have about 2 cups of liquid when they are tender. Stir in rice and simmer covered 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender. Serves 4 to 6.
Recipe adapted from Goya Foods Inc.
Heart Smart Collard Greens
1 pound fresh collard greens, chopped
14 ounces vegetable broth
1 ½ cups water
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon sugar
Bring broth, water, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the greens and sugar; bring to a boil again. Cover pot and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes or until desired tenderness.
Recipe adapted from Nature’s Greens, a product of Walter P Rawl & Sons.
Vegan Cornbread
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup sifted flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar, (Sugar in the Raw brand)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 to 1 1/4 cup plain low-fat soy milk or rice milk
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the canola oil in a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet and heat the skillet in the oven until the oil is hot (about 10 minutes). Remove from the oven and swirl around so that the oil coats the skillet bottom and sides; set aside. Or while the oil is heating, you can work really fast to mix the corn bread before the oil starts to smoke or gets too hot.
Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large measuring cup or bowl. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the applesauce and milk (if using rice milk, start with 1 cup). Use a fine-mesh strainer to sift the dry ingredients into the wet mix. Carefully add the heated oil from the skillet; the mixture will bubble a bit. Mix well.
Pour the warm batter into the hot, oiled skillet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Makes 8 servings.
Recipe from Levita Mondie-Sapp, printed in the Washington Post 10/10/2007
Traditional Southern New Year's Dinner, Vegetarian Style
