Black Eyed Peas & Collard Greens
A New Year tradition in the Southern USA (which is where I live) can be a wonderful and healthy meal if prepared correctly. Black-eyed peas and collards are said to provide good luck (peas) and prosperity (greens) all year long, if eaten on New Year’s Day.
Even if it’s not your tradition, it’s a great way to get people to eat this healthy meal on the first day of the year when it’s generally eaten. Often, it’s served with a side of cornbread.
Black Eyed Peas
This is so simple to make it’s not even a recipe.
First, wash and soak your peas in water. The fastest way to do this is to wash the beans, then put in a pot and cover with water, bring to a boil on the stove, turn off the burner and cover for one hour.
Then rinse the black-eyed peas, add to a clean pot, and cover with veggie or chicken stock.
Cook according to package directions until done. Usually, they only take about 30 minutes to 1 hour of simmering depending on how firm you like your peas.
You may need to add more stock or water to the pan as the peas cook. Salt and pepper to taste after cooking.
Collards
Collards are greens. Subbing collards for any other greens is not permitted in Southern culture, but you can if you prefer. But, making the collards is super easy, although you should buy fresh for best results.
- 4 Bunches of Collards
- 12-ounce Bag of Shredded Carrots (can be more or less, it shrinks)
- 1 Cup Chopped Sweet Onion
- 1 TBS Hot Sauce
- 1 Drop Liquid Smoke
- 1 TBS Healthy Oil like Olive Oil, or Coconut Oil
- 1 Cup Broth
- Salt to taste
Stem the collards.
Roll up and cut into strips and then bite-sized pieces. Doesn’t have to be perfect.
Sauté the onion in the oil, add the carrots and the collards and cook until the collards and the carrots have wilted.
Then add the hot sauce and liquid smoke.
Cook on simmer for about an hour. Add more liquid if needed, so the collards won’t burn.
Salt and pepper to taste after cooking.
Turkey Breast & Roasted Root Veggies
This is super easy to make and looks beautiful. Buy a turkey breast and all the root veggies you can find.
Prepare the turkey breast by simply washing it off, then rubbing it with your preferred spices, such as lemon pepper seasoning. You can also simply add salt and pepper. You don’t need to add any oil to the turkey breast.
Cut all your root veggies in uniform but equal sized pieces, place in a large bowl and toss with one TBS healthy oil like Olive Oil or Coconut Oil.
It’s important to do it this way to avoid over pouring the oil. You only need a touch. Season the root veggies the same way you seasoned your turkey so that the flavors match.
Bake according to the directions on your turkey to ensure that you cook it long enough.
Usually, for a bone in breast, it will be cooked on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 2 to 2.5 hours, uncovered until the thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Check halfway through to ensure nothing is burning, and only cover dark parts with foil.
Always let your turkey breast rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Surviving the holidays while remaining healthy can be a challenge. But it doesn’t have to be miserable. There are plenty of substitutions you can make that you won’t really notice and neither will anyone else, especially if they don’t know. Many times, the simpler a recipe, the better highlighted the main ingredient of the meal will be.
