New Years Day Traditions: Potato Collard Cakes with Simple Rouille and Black Eyed Peas with Collards and Sweet Potatoes

Do you believe in the importance of traditions? How about folklore and superstition? Even if you don't I think it's fun to celebrate Holiday's and special occasions by making special memories and creating lasting traditions that will comfort and make your family and friends feel special.



This is actually a post I did last year but honestly, it was so good I just can't imagine making anything else to celebrate the New Year.


We all know that eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is supposed to bring good luck and prosperity. 

Black-eyed peas are a common Southern dish, and the practice of eating them for luck is generally believed to have begun during the Civil War. When Union soldiers moved through Mississippi, they burned all the crops except the peas because it was believed that only farm animals ate them. When Southerners found that black-eyed peas were the only food left, they considered the legumes a sign of good fortune. 

Other legends say that the practice dates to ancient Egypt when it was believed that eating a meager food like black-eyed peas showed humility before the gods and you would receive blessings of prosperity in return. 



Whatever you believe this recipe is fancy enough to  celebrate with family or friends on New Years Day and simple and healthy to start your year off to a healthy new way of living.

Potato Collard Cakes with Simple Rouille and Black Eyed Peas with Collards and Sweet Potatoes.

click for recipe

Do you have any special traditions or foods you celebrate with on 

New Years Day?

Have a wonderful New Year!

Simply Healthy Family

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Butternut Squash Souffle with Sauteed Collard Greens

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I came across this recipe for butternut squash souffle in Cooking Light Magazine and couldn't think of a better way to use the squash sitting on my counter. I've never been in love with souffles in general, foamy eggs are not my thing. I did however want to try my hand at the art of souffle. This was so much better than I expected! A very mild butternut squash flavour with just a hint of nutmeg on your taste buds as an afterthought (I added the nutmeg to the recipe)  The texture was perfect, light and creamy and I thought that it resembled more of a creme brulee than a souffle'.  I was in heaven! It's a good thing all of the kids loved it too so I could actually savour each and every bite while I patted myself on the back for actually cooking a perfect souffle with 4 kids running around. It didn't poof up as a souffle made entirely of eggs but it divine I tell you, D-vine!

In all honesty, it was far simpler than I thought. I do suggest baking the squash well in advance, especially if you have children. Thankfully, for once, I had the foresight to stick the squash in the oven around 2 p.m. It took almost an hour to cook then I set it on the counter to cool for a bit while I leisurely did other things around the house and the rest of the prep-work for dinner.

I threw together a quick collard green and black eyed pea saute to accompany the souffle and it was a wonderfully light and flavourful dinner.





* TIPS: I suggest using a blender of food processor to blend the squash mixture instead of a hand held or stand mixer so it will be as blended and smooth as possible.
Also, like I mentioned before, this recipe is not a lot of work but the baking time is lengthy. Don't rush yourself,  make sure you bake the squash well ahead of time, it will sit on the counter and wait for you. It is easier to scoop out the flesh when it's a bit cooled also.



I doubled this recipe to feed my family of 6 and had a small amount of left overs for baby Mona and the little boys the next day.

TIME   90 MINUTES TOTAL    SERVES 4-6
Ingredients


1 butternut squash (about 2 3/4 pounds) to yield about 2 cups pulp


1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk


1/3 cup (1 1/3 ounces) shredded fontina cheese


1/4 teaspoon salt


1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg


1 large egg


1 large egg white

Cooking spray

8 cups finely chopped Swiss chard or collard greens
1 cup cooked or 1 can black eyed peas.
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water

* Note, I don't have a small souffle dish so I used my medium casserole dish.
Preparation


Preheat oven to 375°.






Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet; bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until tender. Cool. Scoop out pulp from shell. Set aside 2 cups pulp, reserving remaining pulp for another use.


Combine  squash pulp, milk, and next 4 ingredients (milk through egg white) in a food processor; process until smooth. Pour into 1-quart souffle dish coated with cooking spray. Place souffle dishes in a 9-inch  square baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until puffy and set.


While squash is baking, heat oil in a deep saute pan or dutch oven. Add garlic cook for 1 minute, add greens cook 2-3 minutes more. Add 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and let simmer for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

PRINT THIS RECIPE!

My make-shift souffle dish sitting in a dish of water ready to be put into the oven and

make my house smell wonderful.

Unpretentious, non-poofy sweet souffle.

Served with quick side of Collard Green and black-eyed peas.

I'm sending this over to Hearth and Soul for 'Food prepared from scratch, seasonal and healthy'.

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