Black Eyed Peas- Please!!

Looking for a healthy black-eyed pea recipe? 

This one is made with sautéed onions and baby spinach and is easy, wholesome, soothing and delicious.

I’ll be honest. Black-eyed peas have never really been my favorite. I don’t cook them often, and they usually don’t call to me. But in my family, they are one of the symbolic foods we eat every year for the Jewish New Year, so like clockwork, every year, I go searching for a recipe that might actually win me over. Year after year, nothing has ever stuck.

This holiday, I decided to stop overcomplicating things. I sautéed some onions, stirred in a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach which I had cut into ribbons, and then added two cans of black-eyed peas. A quick toss in the pan until everything was hot and well combined—about 2 minutes and that was it. 

To my surprise, this simple warm little dish with wilted spinach turned out to be exactly what I’d been looking for. It was comforting, satisfying, and so much better tasting than I expected. Healthy too and great served with basmati, brown, or jasmine rice!

Three Ingredient Black Eyed Peas Recipe:

Ingredients: 

1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1/2 moons

2 cups of fresh baby spinach, cut into ribbons

2 cans of black eyed peas, rinsed and drained

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Directions:

Cut onions into half moon slices and saute slowly (in broth) until onions are soft, add sliced fresh spinach and 2 cans of black-eyed peas. Sautee until the peas are hot and the spinach is wilted-  about 2 minutes. Remove, taste and season and serve.

Do you make black-eyed peas? Do you like them? How do you make them? 

Health Benefits of Black Eyed Peas : 

Black-eyed peas are generally considered easier to digest than many other beans, so they tend to cause less gas.

• High in plant-based protein 

• Rich in fiber → Supports digestion, keeps you fuller longer, and helps regulate blood sugar.

• Packed with folate (Vitamin B9) → Essential for red blood cell production 

• Good source of iron → Helps prevent anemia and supports energy levels.

• Potassium and magnesium → Support heart health, blood pressure regulation, and muscle function.

• Low in fat and calories 

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Symbolism of black eyed peas for luck and prosperity

Black-eyed peas have long been seen as a symbol of luck and prosperity in many cultures, ranging from the peoples of the American South to Jewish communities originally from the Middle East. It may be because black-eyed peas were a nutritious, affordable, readily available food that was easy to grow and grew abundantly- therefore it was associated with good fortune and survival during hard times.

In the Southern U.S., black-eyed peas are eaten for good luck as a New Year’s Day tradition with a recipe called Hoppin' John, believed to bring wealth and good fortune for the new year. 

In Sephardic Jewish tradition, the recipe is called Lubia or Rubia and eaten during the Jewish New Year to represent a wish for abundance in the year ahead and a celebration of hope and renewal. 

Is There a Connection Between The U.S. Southern Tradition and the Sephardic Jewish Customs? 

There is an interesting historical and geographical overlap between the African influence on Hoppin’ John and the African influence on Sephardic Jewish tradition of eating black-eyed peas—both the Africans and the Middle Eastern Jews trace their culinary and cultural roots to regions near or connected to Africa, particularly North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, as well as West Africa. For example, my husband's family are Sephardic Jews born in Cairo, Egypt, which is on the continent of Africa.

This recipe is vegan, naturally gluten-free, oil-free! I guess I could have added some vegan sausage to it for a more meaty flavor. But I liked it plain.

Wishing everyone health, prosperity, and peace in this Jewish New Year of 5786....

 

Gluten Free Matzo Balls  Recipe link 

Mock Chopped Liver  (best vegan recipe ever)

Leek Patties-  (traditional Sephardic recipe for the New Year)

Looking for a link for the blessings to say on the "simanim" sephardic symbolic foods ? Here is a link-(link to the blessings). 

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