New Year’s Day is here, and many of us will be having a traditional meal that is meant to bring us good luck. I feel like all of us worldwide could use a big helping of that at the moment.
I’m from Texas, and on New Year’s Day, we ALWAYS serve black-eyed peas with our meal, because they are supposed to bring us good fortune!
This tradition began in the southern states after the Civil War. The northern troops, especially those who were serving under General Sherman, would destroy all of the foods, crops, and livestock that they couldn’t carry with them. The crops of “field peas” and corn, which were considered by them to be only good for animal food, were left undestroyed. There were many people in the south who survived the war thanks to the peas and corn that were left, thus giving them a “good luck” reputation. The peas are meant to represent coins.
Mustard greens or collards are usually served with the peas to represent paper money. In the south, corn bread and rice are generally accompaniments to this meal. This tradition has spread throughout the country. The common commercial pea we see today is the California black-eyed pea. It is pale with a prominent black spot. This highly nutritious legume was promoted by George Washington Carver. It was valuable as a crop, because it added nitrogen to the soil. The black-eyed pea is also high in calcium, folate and vitamin A, as well as being a great source of fiber.
The blossoms produce large amounts of nectar, so they are grown in many places where honey is produced. The large amount of pollinators that consume this nectar make the use of pesticides much more strictly regulated. I always suggest buying organically grown foods, when possible. Cooking legumes is really very easy. Many people don’t like to eat legumes, because they think they are hard to digest, and that they produce gas. However, there are a few tricks to cooking that help with the digestibility of the legumes.
Soaking the peas in purified water to sprout them before cooking them helps break down the enzymes and remove the antinutrients (phytic acid) that are present in peas, and also in beans, seeds, legumes, and nuts.
I also add some kombu seaweed and ground-up caraway seeds to my peas as I soak and cook them. The seaweed and caraway seeds help the process to further break down the anti-nutrient enzymes, so the legumes are even more easily digestible. You can add the caraway seeds to the soaking water, and then also keep the seeds when you drain off the water with the peas, and add them to the cooking water.
Since it is the start of a new year, and we definitely want to have the best health possible, here are some of the extra health benefits of adding caraway seeds to your pea, lentil, and bean recipes. Caraway seeds are high in: nutrition, antioxidants, and fiber. They have been found to help with weight loss, digestion, fighting cancer cells, and stabilizing blood sugar.
Always sort, rinse, and drain your black-eyed peas before soaking. The peas will double in volume when soaked and cooked, so measure out one cup of peas to soak, for every additional cup you need and adjust the recipe accordingly. (I measure out one cup of peas to soak for each guest.)
I frequently make a larger amount than I require. In this way, I can freeze the extra (in little glass oven-to-freezer dishes),
to easily enjoy in future meals.
Recipe of the Month
Basic Black-Eyed Peas
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 c. black-eyed peas
1 small piece kombu seaweed (optional)
1 T. extra virgin, pure coconut oil
½ c. red onion, chopped
2 T. jalapeño, chopped (keep the seeds if you want it hotter, discard the seeds if you don’t want it spicy hot)
1 tsp. unrefined sea salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp ground caraway seeds (optional)
Directions:
1. Soak black-eyed peas, caraway seeds, and kombu seaweed for 12–18 hours or more, in purified water. (You are removing antinutrients (phytic acid) and making the peas more digestible.)
2. Discard soaking water. (You can discard the seaweed now.)
3. Put black-eyed peas and caraway seeds in a large pot, and add enough water to cover peas plus an additional inch. Bring to a boil.
4. Take off the stove and drain water. Be careful not to burn yourself. (This step of changing out the water again is optional, but it does make the beans even more digestible.)
5. Add enough new water to the pot to cover the peas and seeds by about an inch. Add the coconut oil, chopped onion, chopped jalapeños, mineral-rich sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. (Adjust to your taste, the salt and pepper.)
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30–45 minutes, or until the peas are soft.
7. Remove from heat and serve warm.
Notes:
1. If you don’t have time to soak the black-eyed peas and caraway seeds overnight, you will have to cook them a little longer and they may not be as digestible, because the antinutrients (phytic acid) have not been removed. “Antinutrients are natural or synthetic compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients.” (1) Sprout peas and seeds to remove the antinutrients.
You can sprout them by soaking them in non-chlorinated water for 12–18 hours. Larger peas or beans need longer soaking time to sprout and remove the antinutrients (phytic acid). Pour off the water in which they were soaked.
2. Kombu seaweed can usually be found in the Asian foods area of Healthy Grocery Stores and other food stores. Buy certified organic seaweed. Seaweed contributes many nutrients to any recipe, and also helps break down the enzyme inhibiting in beans, peas, and seeds, so they are more easily digested. (2)
You can discard the kombu seaweed after soaking or cooking. I add kombu seaweed to almost all of my soups and beans when I am cooking them. There are a variety of seaweeds to choose from. (I order mine from New Zealand.) They all have a variety of nutrients in them. Flavors vary. Experiment!
Variations:
1. For a little sweeter flavor, add a teaspoon of raw honey or maple syrup after the pot of beans is removed from the heat.
2. I am from Texas and I love jalapeños. Jalapeños are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Jalapeño seeds can be very hot, so discard the seeds if you don’t want it spicy hot, but keep them if you like your food hot and spicy.
You can use whatever hot or mild pepper is available to you, that you like. You can also use pickled or candied peppers (jalapeños) for a different taste version of this dish. If you want more nutrition from the jalapeños, then add them after you remove the pot from the heat, instead of when cooking, so the enzymes remain alive.
Enjoy a healthy, nutritious New Year’s Day meal with southern, traditional Basic Black-eyed Peas!!
Happy New Year Everyone And Bon Appetit!
Sources:
1. “Antinutrients are natural or synthetic compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients. A. Protease inhibitors (e.g., Bowman–Birk trypsin inhibitor in soybeans (Birk, 1985), which inhibit trypsin, pepsin, and other proteases in the gut, preventing digestion and absorption of proteins and amino acids. B. Phytic acid in the hulls of nuts, seeds, and grains, which has a strong binding affinity for calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc, preventing their absorption.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/antinutrients
2. Inactivation Methods of Trypsin Inhibitor in Legumes: A Review – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1750-3841.13985
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