Black-Eyed Pea Soup

A delicious broth is one of the outstanding features of this soup. Legumes (dried beans and peas such as black-eyed peas) are very nutritious: they are high in fiber, B vitamins and minerals such as iron and zinc. So using soups like this one - either as an appetizer or as the main dish accompanied by a salad and whole-grain muffins or rolls - is a tasty way to practice good nutrition.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces black-eyed peas (about 2 cups)
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced 2 carrots, sliced
• 3 Tbs. tamari soy sauce
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. dried dill weed

Directions:

1. Rinse black-eyed peas well.
2. Place in a large pot and cover with water by 1 inch. Soak overnight.
3. Drain off soaking water.
4. To pot of drained peas, add 7 cups of water and rest of ingredients above.
5. Bring to a boil 2 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low.
7. Simmer 1 to 2 hours or until beans are tender.
8. Stir occasionally, mashing beans and potatoes against sides of the pot to thicken soup.

Yield: 10 bowls (1 1/2 cups each)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 1¼ -2¼ hours

You can find this recipe and other tasty soups in the AICR Cookbook Series - Winter Volume: "An Ounce of Prevention". Reproduced for educational purposes only.