Meatless Monday Recipe: A Veggie Version of a New Year’s Classic

Legend has it that the peas represent prosperity, and the collard greens that traditionally accompany them represent dollar bills. It’s tradition in the South to eat black-eyed peas for good luck on New Year’s day. The dish is said to bring us luck and prosperity in the coming year. Whether you believe in the tradition or not, black-eyed peas make for a healthy beginning to the new year, especially if you remove the pork that’s in the traditional recipe for black-eyed peas with rice (known as Hoppin’ John) for a vegetarian version.

Black-Eyed Pea, Kale and Barley Stew

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped (about 4 cups, packed)
1 cup pearled barley
1 cup dried black eyed peas, rinsed
4 cups vegetable stock
14-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably small dice (I used Bionaturae)
4 cups water
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt, to taste

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot. Sauté the garlic, onion and carrot for 10 minutes. Add the kale and sauté another 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the black-eyed peas and barley are both tender, about 1 hour.  Season with salt to taste (it may not be necessary if your stock was salted.) Serves 4

Meatless Monday, an international movement, encourages people everywhere to cut meat one day a week for personal and planetary health.

Recipe & Image Credit: Cathy Elton