Hoppin' John

This is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. Who needs mashed potatoes when you have Hoppin' John?? The beauty of this recipe is that its a starter recipe. You can add more or less of whatever you want. Last night I added some zucchini slices & roughly sliced carrots. I just threw them in with the onions to cook. My husband prefers it with more "meat" and less veggies. Just have fun!

Ingredients
2 TBSP grapeseed oil
1 c chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1 tsp jarred crushed garlic)
12+ oz meatless ground "beef" (I love Yves Veggie Cuisine The Good Ground)
2-1/2 c canned diced tomatoes with juices
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp thyme
1 tsp Mrs Dash garlic & herb
3 c cooked brown rice
2 c cooked black eyed peas (cooked just until tender)
tomato sauce

Method
Heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion until tender, then add garlic to cook for two more minutes.
Add tomatoes with juices & herbs & cook approximately 5 minutes.
Add rice & black-eyed peas. If too dry, add tomato sauce to desired consistency. Simmer over low heat approximately 15 minutes.

Makes 6-8 servings.