Black-Eyed Pea and Kale Salad

By sally, on January 1st, 2010

Happy New Year!

Can you believe it is actually 2010? It seems like just yesterday we were all worried about the potential for a worldwide crash of computers as we entered the new millennium. Luckily, that did not come to pass, our computers are still functioning, and we can still read all of our favorite food blogs online!

Ingredients for Black-Eyed Peas

New Years is indeed a time for reflecting on the past, but it is also a time for thinking about the future and making resolutions. In the New Year, we of course plan to continue our quest to find and create recipes that are tasty, easy, healthy and green. However, looking back at our posts from last year, we seem to be slacking a little in the ‘healthy’ department. As a result, we are planning to step up our focus on healthy recipes. What better time than after the holidays?

Balsamic Vinaigrette

To start off a healthier year, today’s recipe has all kinds of nutritious ingredients. Not only is this a healthy salad, but it is also one that can bring you luck. There is a tradition in the south of eating black-eyed peas on New Years Day to ensure good fortune and prosperity. Usually the black-eyed peas are cooked with ham bones or bacon, but we’ve replaced all that with some healthier items.

Lacinato Kale

While we can’t promise luck and prosperity will for sure result from eating this salad, we can promise that it is super-tasty and won’t leave you feeling guilty.

Kale and Black-Eyed Peas

Black-Eyed Peas and Kale Salad
Adapted from Natural Gourmet

The original recipe calls for 1 cup of dried black-eyed peas and includes directions for cooking the peas. To save some time, I made this salad with frozen black-eyed peas that I found at the grocery store. Maybe next time I’ll try it with dried peas. I also added lacinato kale to the recipe. You could use Swiss chard or another type or greens or omit.

Salad

11 oz bag of frozen black-eyed peas
4 green onions
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 bunch lacinato kale
1tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons mustard (I used whole grain mustard)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Strip the kale leaves from stems discard stems. Chop kale leaves into bite-sized pieces. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large pot. Add the kale leaves and a few tablespoons of water. Cover pot and cook kale leaves over low heat until wilted. Stirring occasionally. Add frozen black-eyed peas and continue cooking until peas are warmed through. Once kale and pea mixture is done, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

While peas and kale cook, chopped sundried tomatoes, parsley and green onions into small pieces. To make vinaigrette whisk together mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper. The vinaigrette should emulsify and thicken considerably.

In a large bowl, toss together kale and pea mixture with chopped sundried tomatoes, green onions, and parsley. Pour vinaigrette over the salad and gently mix. Allow the salad to marinate for at least an hour before serving.

4-6 servings

Tasty Easy Healthy Green Recipe Ratings:

Recipe Report Card	Notes About Recipe Ratings
*Tasty Rating*** Four Chefs (Delicious!)	The sundried tomatoes and vinaigrette pack a flavorful punch in this hearty salad.
*Easy Rating* Three Easy Chairs (Average Difficulty)	While none of the steps in this salad are very difficult, it takes a little while to pull together. The ingredients are pretty easy to find, but before I made this salad I didn’t have them all stocked at home (sundried tomatoes, whole grain mustard, etc.)
*Healthy Rating*** Four Apples (Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise)	Black-eyed peas are low in fat and a great source of protein and fiber. Kale is also a nutrient rich powerhouse. There is some oil in the vinaigrette, but the monounsaturated fats in olive oil are said to have beneficial health effects.
*Green Rating* Four Leaves (Mother Earth Approved)	The kale was local and organic. The black-eyed peas, green onions, parsley and olive oil were all organic. Unfortunately, I could not find organic sundried tomatoes or whole grain mustard at the store where I purchased my ingredients.