Bring Prosperity in 2014 with this Hoppin’ John Salad!

Hoppin’ John is a Southern dish eaten on New Year’s Day to bring prosperity and good luck in the upcoming year. Black-eyed peas signify coins, kale symbolizes money, and corn represents gold. This vegetarian salad version of the dish is a jackpot for those maintaining their weight.

Hoppin’ John Salad – makes about 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup steamed brown rice
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• ½ cup diced red bell pepper
• ½ cup thawed frozen corn
• 1 cup kale sliced thin*
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

*I find it hard to stomach raw kale. So I used 1/2 tbl of the olive oil to lightly sautee the kale before adding it to the salad. This softened it up enough to make it a bit easier to digest.

Preparation:
Combine black-eyed peas, rice, onion, celery, bell pepper, corn, and kale in a mixing bowl. In a small bowl, mix together thyme, cumin, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and garlic and pour over the salad. Toss gently. Chill 1 to 2 hours.

Nutrition information (per 1/2-cup serving):

• Calories: 145
• Fat: 4 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Carbohydrates: 24 g
• Fiber: 3 g