Tag Archives: meatless main dishes

Blackeye Peas with Rice and Vegetables (Meatless Hoppin' John)

Blackeye Peas with Rice and Vegetables

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This is a fabulously delicious version of a meatless Hoppin’ John with a twist. We lived in the South for a lot of years, and this is Hoppin’ John like I’ve never had before…AND FAR BETTER than any version I ever had! It’s the peas, rice and veggies all in one dish, packed with yummy flavor from the seasonings and herbs. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever fix blackeye peas any other way from now on.

If you’re looking for a tasty meatless meal or are tired of the same old beans and rice, let me highly urge you to give this dish a try! It’s not hard to make–really. Here’s the recipe, followed by a video of my making the dish. Enjoy! Judi

Blackeye Peas with Rice and Vegetables
(Meatless Hoppin’ John)
Makes 4 to 6 Servings

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup corn (fresh, frozen or canned)
1 cup sliced carrots (fresh, frozen or canned)
1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced
4 medium cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic granules)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 stalk celery, sliced
1-1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes (or to taste)
1 tsp dried thyme leaves (or to taste)
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
Dash black pepper (or to taste)
Pinch of red pepper flakes (or to taste)
Up to 3 Tbsp water, divided
1 can (14-1/2 oz) Italian diced tomatoes, NOT drained
1 cup cooked rice
1-3/4 cups cooked blackeye peas (or 1 each 15-1/2 oz can, rinsed and drained)

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and allow it to heat briefly. Add corn, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, onion, celery, and seasonings. Saute briefly until vegetables are aromatic. Cover skillet and add water, one tablespoon at a time to enable vegetables to soften somewhat. Stir often as they saute. When carrots are crisp-tender, add tomatoes, cooked rice and cooked blackeye peas. Stir to combine. Cover skillet and allow the mixture to cook a couple minutes, until everything is heated through. Serve.

Serving suggestion: This would be excellent served with a slice of crispy French bread. If bread is not preferred, a wedge of warm buttery polenta would also be a good accompaniment. Enjoy! jk

Recipe: Delicious Lentil Burgers

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Lentils seem to be gaining in popularity these days as more people are striving to improve their eating habits. I’ve enjoyed lentils for years in a number of ways and am happy to see that others are catching on to this ultra-healthy legume. The following is a recipe that I came up with forming cooked lentils into a “mock” burger. They are easy to make, hold up well in a sandwich, and are versatile in that they can be used in a variety of dishes. Following the recipe is a link to my YouTube video demonstrating making them. Try them sometime. See serving suggestions below. Enjoy! Judi

Lentil Burgers
Makes 8 Burgers

1 cup dried lentils, rinsed, drained
2-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs of choice
1-1/2 tsp granulated garlic
2 tsp dry celery flakes OR 1/2 stalk celery chopped OR 2 Tbsp chopped fresh celery leaves
4 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup cooked brown rice, divided

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place lentils in a medium saucepan with water, onion, bell pepper, garlic and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes until liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender.

In a large blender or food processor, place about 2/3 of the cooked lentils with remaining ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooked brown rice. Process until ingredients are mostly pureed. Place processed ingredients in a bowl with the remaining 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice and cooked lentil mixture. Stir to combine well. Portion mixture into 1/2 cup increments.

Warm a nonstick skillet over medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon of oil. Place lentil mixture by 1/2 cup increments onto hot skillet. With a spatula, shape as for a burger. Allow to cook until firm and brown on one side, about 15 minutes. Then carefully flip and allow the second side to cook until firm, about another 15 minutes. Serve.

Serving Suggestions:
* These burgers are fabulous served in a sandwich garnished with ketchup, mustard and/or mayo with lettuce, tomatoes and even pickles or hot peppers.

* These are also excellent served with mashed potatoes and vegetables, just like you would a standard meatball or ground beef patty.

* A brown gravy would also be a wonderful topping for these burgers.

* Sauteed onions and bell peppers would be another excellent accompaniment

http://youtu.be/M-IJNqsDb7Q