Happy New Year! (Lucky Quinoa with Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage)

How's 2014 treating you so far? Have you made any new year's resolutions? I have decided to eat lots of chocolate and watch more Doctor Who marathons. Oh wait. Those are almost exactly the same resolutions as I made last year! This blog is evidence that I kept last year's resolution to eat more chocolate. Never say I don't stick to my decisions.

So I guess we should eat some black-eyed peas for good luck and whatnot? This Lucky Quinoa with Black-Eyed Peas is my lunch, and later for dinner we are going to have some sort of black-eyed pea soup so I'd better get some flippin' good luck this year!

Lucky Quinoa with Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage

This is hardly a recipe. There were things in the fridge that I needed to use up and that's how this dish was born. The most involved step is the chopping of an onion, which you can even omit if you're not in the mood for that. Just add some onion powder to the pot before you add the broth and you're set. This dish doesn't have any spices other than a little bit of black pepper because my sausage was pretty spicy already, but if you're skipping the sausage feel free to add whatever seasonings float your boat so it's not too bland.

Lucky Quinoa with Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage
(Serves two)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
about 1 cup of frozen spinach
3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes (I had a leftover half can in the fridge)
1/2 cup of quinoa, rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup frozen or canned black-eyed peas
2 tbsp your favorite vegan parmesan or 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon of salt or to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Optional:
a splash of olive oil
2 vegan sausages, sliced (I used an Italian sausage)

1. Preheat a medium sized pot or a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and slightly browned. It will take at least ten minutes. If your onion wants to stick to the bottom of the pot you can add a tiny bit of broth to show it who's boss.

2. Throw in the frozen spinach and cook for a few minutes until the spinach is soft. Keep cooking and stirring for a couple more minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes, quinoa, broth, black-eyed peas, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10-20 minutes or until all the broth has been absorbed.

4. Keep your quinoa covered and move on to the sausages, if you're using any. Preheat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, pour a little splash of olive oil evenly over the bottom and cook your sliced sausage for a couple of minutes on each side. We just want to get it nice and toasty.

5. Mix the sausage into the quinoa, give it a taste and add more salt, pepper or parmesan as needed.

Lucky Quinoa with Black-Eyed Peas and Sausage

That's it. Now you've gotta ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk? :)

Curly, you're in charge of wishing everyone a happy 2014! Take it away, buddy! 

Happy New Year!
Go home, Curly! You're drunk!


Comments

  1. I greatly approve of your resolutions for the year! I started 2014 by splitting a big cinnamon roll with my husband. So far it's off to a great start! Speaking of Doctor Who, what did you think of the finale episode with Matt Smith?

    This quinoa dish looks so good! It's been too long since I've had some veggie sausage, and I love how it's propped right on top of that pile of black-eyed peas and quinoa.

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    1. Splitting a big cinnamon roll is the best way to kick off 2014! Nice! I'm actually still making my way through season four of Doctor Who, so I have some time to go before I watch the Matt Smith finale. I've been trying to pace myself because I know I'll be crying when I run out of episodes!!

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  2. Our resolutions are so similar! I'm going to binge watch Sons of Anarchy and make more fancy cocktails. Happy new year!

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    1. We have the best resolutions! Easy to stick to them all year too, unlike diet, exercise, and all those other horrid new year's resolutions that are most popular. Fancy cocktails, chocolate, and TV for everyone! :D

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  3. Your resolutions are awesome! Happy New Year, dear River!

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    1. They are easy to keep, that's for sure! Happy new year!

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  4. Well, I didn't make any resolitions, but I can get down with yours! I don't watch Dr. Who, but substitute the New Girl, and we're ON!

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    1. YES to New Girl! Schmidt is one of the funniest TV characters ever!

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  5. Yum! Your lucky black eyed pea dish looks awesome to start the new year off right!
    I love your resolutions too - eating more chocolate is always a good thing!

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    1. Hehe. I figured I should make a resolution that is easy to stick to. Announcing a resolution that I can't keep (like eating fewer desserts) would just make me look weak! ;)

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  6. More chocolate for 2014 sounds like a perfect resolution--I'm definitely going to steal that one!

    Love the quinoa-black-eyed-pea bowl of warm-hearty deliciousness!

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  7. If I had made resolutions, eating more quinoa would be one of them. This dish looks lovely. Happy new year, River! I am looking forward to reading your blog in 2014.

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    1. Thanks, Mihl! And I look forward to reading all about your delicious German treats this year! :)

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  8. I failed to eat black-eyed peas this year — I wonder if it's too late. Your dish looks so delicious, and the perfect way to begin the new year. I think quinoa is my favorite grain, and I don't know why I never even think of black-eyed-peas except on New Year's, when they're so tasty.

    I'm on season 5 of Doctor Who, and am just starting to accept Matt Smith as the Doctor — it takes a few episodes until the new Doctor stops looking like an imposter, but I'm beginning to warm up to him.

    BTW, what camera and lens appear in your self-photo? I have the feeling I've asked this before but can't remember the answer.

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    1. I say it's never too late to eat lucky black eyed peas! If they're not lucky on any other day, at least they're still tasty :)

      Oh, I can't even begin to imagine what the show is going to be like without David Tennant. I can't. I have five more episodes before I have to say goodbye to him and hello to Matt Smith.

      My camera is a Panasonic Lumix FZ35. It's an OK camera, but I'm saving up to buy a new one because I feel that I have outgrown it. It will take a lot of penny-pinching, but I will buy a good DSLR camera if it's the last thing that I do! :)

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    2. Also, I do always have to adjust the contrast and white balance of my pictures with Paint Shop (can't afford Photoshop).

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  9. Happy new year buddy (Curly)!

    That looks flippin great, you've made me want to get off my bum and go make some sausages. Result.

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  10. I'm sorry I've been so antisocial lately and that it has taken me a while to reply to your comments. I promise to get over this antisocialness soon!

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