A New Year's Meal-Southern Style

For the first time in years, I wasn’t able to eat the much loved New Year’s Day meal with my family. My grandmother is a fabulous cook, although she will never admit it, and always prepares a traditional German New Years meal of pork and sauerkraut to help bring good luck for the coming year (so far it’s been working!) Needless to say I was disappointed to miss out on one of my favorite meals of the year and the chance to spend time with family. But to help ensure good luck for the coming year, I decided to prepare my own New Year’s Day meal—Southern style. It only seems appropriate since I’m living in the South! Black-eyed peas (prosperity), greens (money), and cornbread (wealth/gold) are common foods found on the Southern table New Year’s Day.

To ensure good health for the New Year, I loaded this dish with plenty of veggies, used low-sodium bacon, and skipped the traditional method of cooking the black-eyed peas with fat back or salt pork. This dish is very flavorful, low-fat, full of nutrients like fiber, vitamin A and vitamin K, and it was so easy to make! I predict that in 2011, I will be making more of this One-Pot Black-Eyed Pea Soup.

One-Pot Black-Eyed Pea Soup
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1-15 oz. can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup water
2 carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch
1 small onion, diced fine
1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, plus liquid
3 slices low-sodium bacon, chopped into small pieces
3 cups fresh collard greens, chopped
Pinch of salt
¼ tsp. ground pepper
¼ tsp. oregano

Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, place first seven ingredients in pot and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add collard greens and spices. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes, or until greens are tender. Serve with cornbread.