new year's 2010 vegan hoppin' john

while i am cooking this very recipe in the sun oven THIS VERY MINUTE, it is published here by special request from my dear friend mary!

Good Luck New Year’s Vegan Hoppin’ John

"Eat poor today, eat rich the rest of the year.”- Southern Proverb

It has long been believed that eating this humble dish of black-eyed peas, or cowpeas as they are otherwise known, on New Year’s Day, increases one’s odds of good fortune in the coming year. Legend has it that the individual beans represent coins (which swell as they cook, ensuring prosperity) and the accompanying greens represent paper money. If you eat them together on New Year's Day, especially along with some cornbread (which represents gold), you will not only have a delicious meal, you will be sealing your fate, and improving your health to boot. Both beans and greens are full of nutrients and antioxidants that are heart-healthy and prevent disease.

Please serve with cornbread and collards, chard, kale, or coleslaw for additional good health and fortune! I'll be serving it this afternoon with warm quinoa salad on the side.

2 C dried black eyed peas, power soaked* or soaked overnight
bay leaf, oregano, epizote** if you can find it

place beans and dried herbs in sun oven covered with at least 2" water.
do not add salt 'til later...this keeps the beans from getting soft.

after 2 hours cooking at 350, add:
1-1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
1 cup chopped celery
4-5 cloves garlic, minced

cook 1 - 2 hours longer

garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
liquid hot pepper sauce or hot pepper vinegar


* to power-soak beans: boil beans in water for 3 minutes. Cover and set aside for 2 to 4 hours (soaking longer doesn’t help or hurt). Drain and discard water. Rinse beans. Proceed with cooking. This method reduces hard-to-digest complex sugars by 80%.

** a uniquely flavored mexican herb that aids in digestion of complex sugars.