While all the food at the potluck was healthy and delicious, I'm proud to say that the dishes I brought went fast, and not a lick was left! First was the hot artichoke dip with spinach recipe from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook, by Joanne Stepaniak, along with some homemade whole-wheat baguettes.
The other dish was a recipe I've adapted from the database at NutritionMD.org: Hoppin' Juan Collard Rolls with Garlic Sauce. I think it's fun to call it "Juan" instead of "John," because of my Tex-Mex twist to their standard Hoppin' John mix. Roll it all up in some steamed collard leaves and drizzle some creamy garlic sauce over the top, and it's a sure crowd-pleaser!
Another bad iPhone picture... sorry.Hoppin' Juan Collard Rolls
Ingredients -
The largest leaves from 2-3 bunches of collards
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas, or 1 15 oz. can, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (short grain is best for this recipe, since it's stickier and won't fall as easily out of the rolls)
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 tomato, diced
2-4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
2 teaspoons minced garlic
First, steam the collard leaves in a large pot until they are tender and bright green. Be careful not to overcook them or the color will turn more grey-ish. Combine all the other ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
To make the rolls, lay one of the collard leaves out flat and cut out the bottom 1/4 of the thick stem - this will make it easier to make a tight roll. Place about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of bean-rice mixture on the collard leaf and roll up, burrito-style, folding in both ends tightly. Serve with the garlic sauce (below).
Garlic Sauce
Ingredients -
1 box silken tofu
Juice of 2 lemons
4 teaspoons minced garlic (or more, if desired)
salt
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth. Taste and adjust salt as necessary.
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