Grace's Lucky New Year's Soup

In the American South, they have a tradition of eating black-eyed peas and greens on New Year's Day to invite luck (black-eyed peas) and money (greens) in the new year. Who decided black-eyed peas were lucky, I have no idea, but they can be extremely tasty and very good for you, so let's eat up, shall we? It's not too late to get the New Year off to a delicious, and maybe even lucky, start!

Grace's Black-Eyed Peas and Greens (Soup)

3 small leeks (white/light green parts diced)
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 large cloves of garlic, minced fine
1 Tbs. poultry seasoning
2 heaping tsp. good chili powder
2-3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 head savoy cabbage (frilly cabbage), cut into 2-inch pieces
4-5 roasted green chiles, diced (Ortega brand canned whole chiles are great)
2 large red bell peppers, cored and chopped
1 cup dried black-eyed peas
1 cup dry farfelle or rotelle pasta (corn pasta for gluten-free)
6 cups veggie broth
2 cups water
Parmesan cheese curls for garnish (optional)

Lightly saute leeks, onions and garlic in olive oil. Add poultry seasoning and chili powder. Mix it all about until leeks and onions are fully coated in spices. Add veggie broth, water, cabbage, green chiles, red peppers and black-eyed peas. Bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat, simmer for 40-45 minutes. Add pasta and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes, until peas and pasta are at desired consistency. Serve immediately, garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired and couple with piping hot cornbread. Happy New Year!

Our New Year's Day dinner and my first photo of 2011!

Quinoa: The Underappreciated Seed

Today, I am thankful for Quinoa (pronounced "keen-WAH"), the gluten-free wonder grain! Once you get the hang of pre-rinsing the couscous-like kernels, you will be surprised by this delicious, hearty, and versatile carb. Full of protein, fiber, iron and amino acids, it kicks the pants off wheat, in my opinion. Quinoa was considered sacred to the Inca, who called it "the mother of all grains," and I tend to agree with them. It is the seed of a plant in the beet family, not a grain in the traditional sense, and so is free of the gluten that causes bad reactions for so many. As a delightful introduction to my favorite grain, I would like to pass on a simple recipe for Quinoa Stew, which can also double as a satisfying gluten-free, vegan stuffing replacement. Before you begin, be sure to thoroughly rinse the Quinoa. I prefer to dump the grains in a saucepan, fill the pan part-way with water, swish the grains around with my hand, then carefully strain it with cheesecloth.

Quinoa Stew

1.5 cups Quinoa
2-3 Tbls. olive oil
2 large carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1.5 cups vegetable broth

In a medium saucepan, saute Quinoa with olive oil until the grains turn clearish. Add carrots, onion and broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low and simmer covered until all the liquid is soaked up. That's it! Experiment with other vegetables and spices to find the perfect version for you.