Hearty Black-Eyed Peas

All legumes are excellent for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome due to their high fiber content. According to Healthline.com, one cup of cooked black-eyed peas packs 11 grams of fiber as well as 13 gm protein and 88% daily values (dv) of folate, 28% dv of iron, and 20% dv of zinc to name a few health benefits. Besides all that--they are delicious and super easy to cook. This rendition of black-eyed peas is more like a stew with the addition of baby new potatoes, carrots, and chopped tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry black eye peas

• 1 tbsp olive oil (or olive oil spray)

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes (cherry tomatoes will work as well)

• 1 carrot chopped

• 1 onion (3/4 of a large one), chopped

• 1/2 bell pepper chopped

• 1 cup baby potatoes, cut in half or in fourths

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1/3 habanero pepper or serrano pepper, chopped (Use gloves if you are sensitive!)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 cups veggie broth

• 2 cups water

• Optional: 1 tsp fresh snipped rosemary

• Optional garnish: chopped cilantro, parsley, or dill

Instructions:

1. Soak the black eye peas in water overnight (they soak up a lot of water so make sure to amply cover them).

2. Rinse and drain the black eye peas.

3. In a medium sized pot, sauté the onion and habanero in the olive oil until translucent (about 3-5 minutes).

4. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook until beans are tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasoning--I tried to keep it simple, but feel free to spice it up!

5. Serve with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired.