I’m excited to introduce my New Year’s Veggie Bowl on January 1, 2021. I believe it will become a family tradition for all of us who love these vegetables.
My inspiration for creating this savory side dish is based on a famous southern tradition of serving collard greens and black eyed peas on New Year’s Day… to attract financial prosperity all year.
New Year’s Veggie Bowl: Smoky collard greens and black-eyed peas topped with diced jalapeno peppers.
It is believed that eating collards will attract an abundance of paper money and eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day will attract an abundance of coins… all year.
Fascinating facts about collard greens and black-eyed peas
Collard greens are a member of the Brassica family. Closely related to kale and mustard greens. Peak season is January through April.
Fresh collard greens that have been washed and rinsed.
Cooking Tip: Collard Greens
Always thoroughly wash greens in warm water filled with salt to get rid of worms and microscopic bugs. Do this two or three times.
After removing the large stalks from the collard greens, chop and cook with the collards. They add texture and delicious flavor.
Large stalks removed from collard greens. I removed the top to take a picture of the collards cooking. Dry black-eye peas in a clear storage bag.
I was concerned about the proper spelling. blackeyed peas or black-eyed peas? According to the Library of Congress and online dictionaries, black-eyed peas is correct. Good to know!
DISCLAIMER (NOT SPONSORED). Pictured is a favorite brand. Notice the spelling is “Blackeye” Peas. Interesting for sure.
Cooking Tips: Black-eye Peas
Soak blackeye peas before cook to get rid of gas. Use the Quick Soak Method or the Overnight Method (Preferred).
Before soaking, sort peas and remove foreign particles and dark colored peas. NEVER pour the peas directly from the bag into the water and cook because the dry peas do contain foreign particles.
Quick Soak: Boil peas in water for 2 minutes. Turn heat off, cover and soak for 1 hour.
Overnight Method (Preferred): Boil peas in water for 2 minutes. Turn heat off, cover. Place in refrigerator to soak for 4 hours or overnight.
Experience taught me never to leave peas on the counter to soak. They tend to sour quickly. If you’ve had a difference experience, please leave a comment.
Ready to eat!
Again, I’m thrilled about introducing my New Year’s Veggie Bowl on January 1, 2021. I’ve been feeling very creative lately. This is one of my favorite ideas.
I believe it will become a family tradition for all of us who love these vegetables.
New Year’s Veggie Bowl with a Mexican Cornbread Muffin (halved).
DISCLOSURE (SPONSORED). I purchased the jar of Diced Jalapeno Peppers with a coupon provided by Mt. Olive Pickles. I was not paid with money. All comments are my own.
Mt. Olive Diced Jalapeno Peppers
Helpful Tips For Beginners: How To Read & Follow Any Recipe
Reading a recipe is an important life skill. It starts with knowing how to read a recipe’s ingredients, follow the instructions, prep ingredients, and knowing what equipment to use.
The following tips and strategies will help beginners or experienced cooks create a delicious dish as intended in the recipe.
Start with clean hands and organized kitchen. Wash hands thoroughly. Make sure kitchen and countertops are clean before making a recipe.
Create a relaxing environment. Play favorite music while in the kitchen. I love listening to classical or gospel music.
Read the recipe. Don’t just quickly skim it. Thoroughly read from start to finish. Visualize doing each step which will help you avoid missing a step.
If you see ingredient that you and your family don’t use for whatever reason, use a substitutions or omit the ingredient.
My recipes are packed with helpful tips like shortcuts and serving sizes which save time and help with meal planning.
Pay attention to the order in which ingredients are prepped. For example, 1 cup of chopped pecans is not the same as pecans, chopped (measure whole pecans and then chop).
Know the assumptions. For example, when my recipe calls for “sugar,” use granulated sugar. If brown sugar is an ingredient, it will be written as such in the recipe.
Figure out the timing. Check the listed “prep time” and “total time” to be sure you have enough time to complete the recipe.
Look for hints, such as the words “meanwhile” or “at the same time,” which indicate two or more steps can happen simultaneously.
For example, my prep time doesn’t include bringing cold butter up to room temperature. Be sure to include in your timetable.
Watch Recipe Videos. If you’re a visual learner (like me), watch recipe videos. Perfect for when you’re learning a new skill or just want to see how a recipe is made.
Mise en place is a super time saver. This French cooking term translates as “putting in place.” It means prepping/measuring ingredients and chopping food before you start cooking. It’s the perfect way to get organized and avoid missing an ingredient or missing a step in the instructions.
Organize your tools and kitchen equipment. Mise en place isn’t just for ingredients. Before starting, make sure you have parchment paper, aluminum foil, measuring cups, measuring spoons, the right pans, mixing bowls, and other equipment.
Make notes in your recipe. Note any special prep instructions and highlight cooking times. Make note of ingredients omitted, favorite substitutions and creative twists. The notes will be very helpful the next time you make this recipe.
New Year's Veggie Bowl is a mouth watering combination of Smoky Collard Greens and Blackeye Peas topped with diced jalapeno peppers. Recipe and photography by Beverly Davis for CornbreadMillionaire.com.
