Peas Please

By Billa

We’ve been eating a lot of green peas lately. And that’s a smart thing because green peas are good for your brain. They provide essential nutrients that your brain needs to function optimally and help protect against age-related cognitive decline.

Although we tend to think of peas as vegetables, they are actually considered legumes because they grow in pods, and, like other legumes (such as chickpeas, black beans and lentils), peas are high in protein and fiber. Research shows that replacing animal protein with plant protein, like that found in peas, can reduce the risk of early death and prolong your life.

Peas contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol, and insoluble fiber acts like a broom, cleaning your digestive tract. In general, fiber helps with digestion, weight loss, heart health, and cancer prevention.

Moreover, green peas are a great source of carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals (especially iron, potassium, and vitamins A and K). They also contain antioxidants that contribute to eye health.

Another thing in their favor is that pea cultivation is considered environmentally friendly, making them a good choice if you care about reducing your carbon footprint.

If you’d like to learn more about peas, here’s a great site: https://foodrevolution.org/blog/are-peas-good-for-you/

So, you can see why we’ve decided to eat more peas. Below are three recipes I’ve developed that utilize them.

Incidentally, as you can see, the recipes below all use frozen peas. And, while I love to snack on fresh peas from the garden when they're available, that's rarely the case. Fortunately, frozen peas have a significant advantage over fresh peas. They retain nutrients and flavor longer and there's no shelling required.

Pea Soup

Serves 6

Slightly earthy and herbaceous, like most smooth soups, this soup freezes well.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup onion or shallots, diced

4 cups vegetable stock

4 cups frozen peas

Kosher salt and pepper

2 tablespoons basil, chopped

2 tablespoons mint, chopped

1 lemon, zested and juiced

For garnish: sliced chives, croutons, or crispy, fried onions

Preparation

1. Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add stock, peas, and Kosher salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.

2. Allow to cool. Place in blender. Add basil, mint, and lemon zest and juice. Blend until very smooth. Serve with garnish, if desired.

Israeli Couscous and Green Pea Salad

Serves 2

Israeli couscous is my favorite pasta and I think visually and texturally it combines very well with peas. Filled with colorful bits of deliciousness, this salad is a perfect, cooling entree for a hot summer day when you just want a light meal.

Ingredients

For salad:

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup Israeli couscous

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup frozen green peas

1 hard-boiled egg

8 pitted Kalamata olives, halved

8 grape tomatoes, halved

1 scallion, sliced

For dressing:

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

1. Bring water to a boil.

2. Add the Israeli couscous, olive oil, and salt. Cover, lower heat, and cook 4 minutes. Stir and add the green peas. Re-cover and cook for another 4 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl.

3. Add the rest of the serving ingredients to the bowl.

4. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar with the mustard. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.

5. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients in the bowl. Toss and chill until serving. 

Green Pea Cakes

Makes 2

These are savory and a bit tangy. Hearty enough to serve as a vegetarian main course, I like to accompany them with coleslaw and salsa.

Ingredients

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon chives

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon butter

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Divide into 2 patties.

2. Melt butter in non-stick pan. Fry 3-4 minutes, on medium heat, until lightly browned. Flip and fry 3 minutes more. Serve warm.