Happy Meatless Monday and thanks for stopping by and reading this week’s vegetarian offering in support of this great movement to “reduce meat consumption by 15% to improve personal health and the health of our planet”.Our recipe today comes from James H Byrd from www.manyveggierecipes.com and is a fast, hearty meal that is perfect now that the colder weather is here as a side or main dish. It’s so easy to make and versatile so feel free to adjust the recipe for desired number of dinner guests.

According to James, this recipe is based on Hoppin John, which is a dish normally served on New Year’s Day for luck. The traditional recipe includes ham but James replaced that with carrots and bell pepper. Feel free to make extra as the leftovers are great the next day.

Ingredients
1 15-oz can of black-eyed peas
1 box Long grain & wild rice
4 Large garlic cloves, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 Carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green Bell pepper, chopped
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Ground cumin seed
1/4 tsp Ground fennel seed
1/4 tsp Thyme leaf
1/4 tsp Marjoram leaf
1/8 tsp Cayenne powder (optional)

Instructions
Rinse and drain the black-eyed peas. Cook the rice according to the directions on the package. Chop all of the veggies while the rice is cooking. Sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil, and when the onion starts to become translucent, add the other veggies and spices. Cook until the bell pepper begins to soften. The carrots will remain firm, which adds some of the chewy mouth-feel you would get from the ham we omitted. Add black-eyed peas and a tablespoon or two of water. Cover and simmer for about five minutes to warm up the beans. Mix the bean/veggie mixture with the cooked rice.

Tips from James:
The cayenne is optional, but the small amount we recommend is just enough to bring out the flavours of the vegetables and the other spices. Be sure to add it, unless your palate is very sensitive to hot spices.

If you start the rice before you start preparing the rest of the dish, it is usually done about the time you need it for the final step. You can serve the bean mixture separately from the rice if you want to, but mixing them together creates a satisfyingly creamy texture.

This recipe serves 4 to 8 and goes well with a side salad or hot vegetable dish.

If you want to learn more about the Meatless Monday movement, you can click here to visit their website.

Enjoy and my thanks to James H Byrd from www.manyveggierecipes.com for this tasty vegan recipe.