January 08, 2001

Happy New Year to all of my friends in cyberspace! Most cultures throughout the world have some way of acknowledging the passage of time here on Earth. Some of these celebrations of welcoming in the new year may be small and intimate while others are a flashy display of exuberant vigor. Though many of these traditions may vary from region to region, they all seem to be centered around some sort of feast featuring foods thought to bring health and happiness in the year ahead. Here in the United States, especially in the South, eating Hoppin' John, a dish made from black-eyed peas and rice, is a "must have" new year's meal for ensuring prosperity in the year ahead. In this installment of recipes, I feature a vegan version of this classic dish along with other specialties of the South that are thought to be "lucky foods" as part of a buffet-style menu to welcome in the new year. I wish all of you the best of health and happiness in the year ahead and in the years to come. As always, be good to one another, and remember... eat your veggies! :-)

Lightly oil (or spray with a light mist of oil) a muffin pan and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and egg replacer for 1 minute or until very frothy. Add the soy milk and oil, whisk well to combine, and set aside. In a large bowl, place the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper, and stir well to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just enough to mix. Add the jalapenos and lightly fold them into the batter. Fill the prepared muffin cups 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yield: 12 muffins

On a non-stick cookie sheet, place the shredded coconut, and spread to a single layer. Bake the coconut at 325 degrees for 5 minutes, stir the coconut, and continue to toast for 5-10 additional minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, transfer the toasted coconut to a bowl, and set aside. On the same cookie sheet, place the sliced almonds, and return the cookie sheet to the oven. Bake the almonds at 325 degrees for 5-10 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, transfer the toasted almonds to a bowl, and set aside. In a glass bowl, place the navel and blood orange segments, pineapple chunks, orange juice, and sugar, and toss gently to combine. Cover and chill the mixture for several hours or overnight. Just before serving, add the reserved toasted coconut and almonds, along with the bananas, and toss gently to combine. Transfer the mixture to a large glass bowl for service.

Serves 6-8

In a large bowl, place the red cabbage, white cabbage, savoy cabbage, carrot, and green onions, and toss well to combine. Add the dressing and parsley, and toss well to evenly coat the vegetables with the dressing. Allow the flavors to blend for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Best served at room temperature.

Serves 8

In a blender or food processor, place the red onion, apple juice, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, and salt, and process until smooth. While the machine is running, slowly add the oil, and continue to process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Yield: 1 Cup

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar, oil, dry mustard, ginger, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and continue to cook the mixture for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the mixture to a glass bowl or large measuring cup, and set aside. Rinse the saucepan. Then in the same saucepan, place the carrots and water, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Drain any remaining water from the carrots and transfer the cooked carrots to a glass bowl. Pour the sugar-vinegar mixture over the carrots, add the chopped parsley, and toss gently to combine. Allow the flavors to blend for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, at room temperature, or chill overnight for added flavor.

Serves 6

Lightly oil (or spray with a light mist of oil) two non-stick cookie sheets and set aside. Cut the peeled sweet potatoes into "french fries" or pieces 1/2-inch wide and 3-4-inches long. Transfer the cut sweet potato fries to the prepared cookie sheets, dividing them evenly between the two sheets, and spread them to a single layer. For each cookie sheet: drizzle the sweet potatoes with 1-2 T. toasted sesame oil, then sprinkle with 1 t. ground cumin, 1 t. chili powder, 1/2 t. paprika, and 1/2 t. salt (or to taste). Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven, stir the sweet potatoes, and spread to a single layer again. Switch the placement of the cookie sheets on the racks of the oven and bake the sweet potatoes an additional 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned and crisp. Transfer to a large platter for service.

Serves 6-8

In a large non-stick skillet, saute the onion in olive oil for 5-7 minutes, or until soft and lightly browned. Add the red peppers and garlic, and saute an additional 2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the collard greens to the pan, in batches, covering the pan to help them wilt. When all of the collard greens have been added to the pan, cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the spinach to the pan in batches, using the same procedure as with the collard greens, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the garnishes. Cover and cook an additional 3 minutes or until the greens are tender. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Serve hot pepper sauce and/or cider vinegar along with the greens for topping individual servings.

Serves 8

In a large pot, place the water, black-eyed peas, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 40 minutes. Add the rice, cover, and simmer an additional 30-40 minutes or until the black-eyed peas and rice are tender. Meanwhile, in a non-stick skillet, saute the onion in olive oil for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the celery, yellow peppers, red peppers, and jalapenos, and saute an additional 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute an additional 2 minutes. When the black-eyed peas are tender, add the sauteed vegetable mixture, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, and stir well to combine. Cover and set aside for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Place garnishes in separate small bowls. Garnish individual servings with choice of sliced green onions, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and a few dashes of hot pepper sauce, as desired.

Serves 6-8

Lightly oil (or spray with a light mist of oil) a large baking dish (9x13-inch or larger). Place the sliced onions and peppers in the prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes to slightly roast the vegetables. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the vegetables to a plate, and set aside. Place the tempeh in the same baking pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and tamari. Pour the tamari mixture over the tempeh. Bake the tempeh at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, stir the tempeh, and return the pan to the oven. Bake the tempeh an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the tempeh is lightly browned and the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from the oven. Add the reserved vegetables along with Kentucky Blues Barbecue Sauce, and toss gently to combine. Return the pan to the oven, bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly. Serve as a main dish or side dish, as a sauce for grains or pasta, or as a sandwich filling.

Serves 6-8

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Place in a sealed jar and keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: 2 Cups

Filling:

Cobbler Topping:

Lightly oil (or spray with a light mist of oil) a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside. In a large bowl, place all of the filling ingredients, and toss gently to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and cover the pan with a piece of aluminum foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until the peaches are tender.

While the peaches are baking, prepare the cobbler topping. In a small bowl, stir together the soy milk, oil, vanilla, and almond extract, and set aside. In a large bowl, place both types of flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, and stir well to combine. Drizzle the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir well to combine. Fold the sliced almonds into the dough.

After the peaches have baked for 45 minutes, carefully remove the pan from the oven. Remove the piece of aluminum foil and discard. Increase the temperature of the oven to 400 degrees. Drop 12 spoonfuls of the dough on to the top of the filling. Using the back of the spoon, smooth the batter to cover the top of the filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Non-dairy sorbet or other frozen desserts make an excellent accompaniment to the cobbler.

Yield: One 9x13-inch cobbler