Hoppin’ John with Avocado-Cucumber Dressing
By Cathy Fisher
Hoppin' John is a southern U.S. dish adopted from West African culture. Black-eyed peas are the trademark ingredient of this dish, which is traditionally eaten on January 1st to bring good luck in the New Year; but I like to eat it throughout the year. This version uses fennel and mushrooms, topped off with a little avocado dressing.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Ingredients
Hoppin' John:
1/2 Cup
Water
1
Medium onion or shallot, chopped
1
Bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 ribs celery or 1 fennel bulb, diced
6
Mushrooms, diced
1 Clove
Garlic, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 Tsp
Dried thyme
1 Tsp
Dried basil
1 Tsp
Cumin
2-15 Ounce Cans
Black-eyed peas, rinsed
2
Scallions, chopped
1/2 Cup
Parsley, chopped
1 Small Bunch
Greens (collards, chard, kale), julienned
Avocado-Cucumber Dressing:
2/3 Cup
Water
2 Tsp
Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1
Avocado, diced
1/2 Tsp
Garlic powder
1/2
Cucumber (with seeds), diced
1/2 Cup
Raw spinach (or other greens), chopped (optional)
1
Scallion, chopped
Directions
1
Hoppin’ John: Using water as needed, saute the onion, bell pepper, celery or fennel, and mushrooms on medium-high for a few minutes until soft. Add the garlic, thyme, basil and cumin, and saute another minute.
2
Mix in the black-eyed peas, scallions, parsley and greens, and cook about 5 minutes until the greens are softened. Serve as is, topped with Avocado-Cucumber dressing (below), and/or over brown rice.
3
Avocado-Cucumber Dressing:
Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add water as needed to thin to desired consistency.
Print Recipe
Print With Images
Print Without Images
Curious about whether a change in diet could improve your health? Learn why the nutrition behind our recipes is so important with our Starch Solution Certification Course.
Join the Conversation!
Whether you’ve tried the recipe, have a question or want to share your own healthy twist - your voice matters.