For anyone living on a gluten free diet due to Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or intolerance, or other food allergies, here’s the latest from Gluten Free Gigi’s gluten free recipe file. Enjoy!
My healthier take on a Southern tradition: Twisted Hoppin' John Soup, naturally gluten free!
I hope your holiday festivities have been memorable so far, full of both treasured tradition and new experiences to bring you joy!
The holidays this year held many new things for me, with traditions I've held dear for many years tucked in along the way, making for a magical Christmas.
While I cherish tradition, I like to mix it up a little, too, just to keep things interesting, especially when it comes to food!
I know you do too! That's why I'm sharing my version of a Southern tradition for New Year's Day... Hoppin' John.
If you're not familiar with the dish or the reason behind eating it, here's the skinny...
Dating back to the 1840s, your basic Hoppin' John consists of rice (click to see how to prepare perfect rice every time!) and beans, usually black eyed peas seasoned with some form of pork (ham hock, bacon, fatback), salt, pepper, onions, and peppers. There are as many variations as there are regions of the South!
Served piping hot alongside some type of greens (collards, kale, cabbage, turnip greens, mustard greens, etc.) and cornbread, the meal is simple, delicious, and full of symbolism. That's right... symbolism!
A Bowl Full of Prosperity!
When you're eating that bowl of Hoppin' John, think about good fortune and prosperity. This hearty dish is preparing you for all kinds of it!
The black eyed peas represent coins, the greens are to insure you'll have plenty of "green" in your wallet in the coming year, and the cornbread that often accompanies can be cut into rectangles to look like bars of gold for even more New Year prosperity!
My "twisted" version is naturally gluten free and much healthier than the basic recipe. It's sure to get you of to a fantastic start and feeling great about your New Year!
Even though I've tinkered a little with tradition, I'm sure no one at your table will mind when you serve up this flavorful, warming bowl of soup and good fortune!
It's low in fat, simple to make right in one pot, and ready in under an hour! How's that for a terrific start to a healthy gluten free New Year?!
Don't forget to whip up some of my golden gluten free cornbread while you're at it. This award-winning cornbread recipe is sure to pass for a "gold bar"... You'll be set for a prosperous 2012!
Click the screen below and see how simple it is to prepare Twisted Hoppin' John Soup for your Happy, Healthy Gluten Free New Year's Day meal!
Twisted Hoppin' John Soup
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup green pepper, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
6 large collard leaves, washed, dried, and shredded
2 cans black eyed peas, not drained
1 1/2 cups cooked rice (see my recipe for perfect rice every time!)
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
In a large soup pot, heat olive oil and cook onions, green pepper, and celery until tender, about 5 minutes.
While the veggies cook, wash and remove center rib from collard leaves by cutting leaves in half length-wise and discarding center rib. Stack the leaf halves and cut into strips. Set aside.
Add garlic to the veggies in the soup pot and stir for 1-2 minutes, until garlic becomes aromatic.
Add broth, collards, water, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and stir. Cover the pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and stir in rice and beans. Stir and simmer an additional 15 minutes until heated through.
Serve with my gluten free cornbread and enjoy!
~g~
I love preparing healthy delicious holiday favorites like this one! I know you will, too!
I encourage you to join me in the kitchen and try more of my gluten free recipes to see how tasty living gluten free can be!
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Up Next on GlutenFreeGigi.com...
There's no trivia question this week. Instead, here's a little snippet of what's in store for January!
First, stop by on Sunday, New Year's Day, for a special toast for 2012! I'll share a fun recipe that you'll want to keep on hand for festive occasions all year long!
And speaking of the New Year... Everyone's talking "New Year, New You", and that's terrific! We'll be focusing on starting the year off in a healthy way, too!
Of course, you know here at GlutenFreeGigi.com we do things just a bit differently, so...
All January long, our theme will be ReNEWal!
Instead of the approach of creating a "New You", let's take the wonderful YOU that you are and simply, gently renew YOU!
Doesn't that already make you feel more positive than thinking you need a complete overhaul?! I know it makes me feel better!
I'm so excited to begin sharing this fantastic, transforming information with you that we're getting off to an early start with Thursday's "A Side of Science".
Starting Thursday, I have 5 weeks of healthy living information, tips, recipes, and how-to's for you to start using immediately!
On Tuesdays in January, I'll be sharing nourishing dishes that fit into our plan for ReNEWal. You'll get the most out of what I have to offer all month long with information and recipes you can use right away!
I'll also have a few staple recipes I know you'll find useful in our reNEWal. Keep an eye out for those "bonus" recipesas well!
Join me all January long for this exciting opportunity for reNEWal! I cannot wait to RENEW with YOU!!
~g~
Thank you for taking time to visit!
Remember, my mission here at GlutenFreeGigi.com is to share my experience and knowledge to help you navigate your gluten free life with ease and confidence!
Come back often for the most recent gluten free recipes and information each Tuesday and Thursday.
I’m glad we’re sharing the journey!
xo,
Gluten Free Gigi
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