Recipe: Black-Eyed Peas and Collards

Spring is the perfect time for collards, a healthy green that’s delicious—and a classic dish—with black-eyed peas and bacon. Did you know that black-eyed peas and collard greens have a surprising amount of calcium in them? Just 1 cup of each is equivalent to 2 glasses of milk. And since May is osteoporosis prevention month, enjoy this recipe all month long! For a vegetarian dish, omit bacon and add sautéed tempeh for a crunch.

Serves:

4

Prep Time:

20 minutes

Cook Time:

30-120 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup black-eyed peas, dried
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 strips bacon, cut into small pieces
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 bunch collards

DIRECTIONS

  • Soak the black-eyed peas overnight in 4 cups of water.

  • Heat olive oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bacon, and bay leaf. Cover the pan with a lid and leave it for 2 minutes. Stir occasionally and cook until the onions are translucent and the bacon is starting to be crispy.

  • Drain black-eyed peas and add to saucepan. Cover peas with just enough water to submerge them and turn heat to medium-low. Cooking time will vary, from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the peas. Peas are done when you can easily squish them on the countertop with the back of a spoon. Check on them every half hour or so, and if water becomes low, add more to cover peas.

  • Wash collards thoroughly and cut out the tough central stems. Chop leaves into bite-sized pieces or tear by hand into small pieces.

  • Once peas are cooked, drain water and put peas back in pan. Add collards to the pot and cover with lid; continue cooking on medium-low. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and some freshly ground pepper. Cover and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Once collards are tender, turn off heat. Add onion and bacon mixture to serve.

  • Serve dish over rice or with some toast or flatbread.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(without grain) (1 serving = 1/4 recipe):

Calories: 166, Total Fat 9g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 14mg, Sodium: 370mg, Total Carbohydrate: 12g, Dietary Fiber 5g, Sugar: 2g, Fiber: 9g

Source http://www.leannebrown.com.

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