Black-eyed peas are a staple of Southern cuisine, but the healthy legumes deserve a wider audience. With no fat, cholesterol or sodium, 1/2 cup of cooked peas has just 80 calories, 6 g of fiber, 14 g of protein and 10 percent of your daily recommended intake of iron. Unlike most other beans, black-eyed peas do not need to be soaked before cooking. They pair well with a range of foods, making it easy to feature them as the centerpiece of a vegetarian meal or as a side dish in any balanced menu.
Vegetables and Fruits
It's a New Year's tradition in some places to eat black-eyed peas with collard greens for prosperity and luck, but it doesn't hurt that it's a tasty pairing. Stewed, braised or wilted greens, such as kale, spinach or chard, pair well as a side dish or cooked with black-eyed peas. Stewed okra and tomatoes is a traditional Southern dish served with the peas, but to break with tradition, saute them with mushrooms and leeks. Grilled peaches or sauteed apple slices are sweet fruit accompaniments for black-eyed peas.
Meat
Black-eyed peas are often cooked or served with some kind of pork. Substitute lean pork chops for bacon, or serve with a small slice of ham to keep the fat content reasonable. Bake, roast or grill chicken to accompany black-eyed peas, and avoid high-fat frying. Add herbs or spices to the peas that can stand up to the rich flavor of grilled lamb chops. For creaminess and unique texture, substitute black-eyed peas for potatoes in a traditional beef stew.
Seafood
Fried catfish is a natural pairing for black-eyed peas. To keep the dish a little lighter, roll catfish fillets in fresh bread crumbs and bake in the oven rather than deep frying. For a casual but updated meal, dust strips of tilapia in cornmeal and bake to create fish sticks, and serve with baked black-eyed peas. Spicy grilled prawns are nicely balanced by creamy black-eyed peas. For a smoky, sweet flavor, mix cooked black-eyed peas with chunks of smoked salmon and ribbons of sauteed chard.
Grains
Eating black-eyed peas with grains creates a meal with complete protein that works as a substitute for a meat-based meal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Use brown rice instead of white rice for the fiber found in whole grains. Mix with black-eyed peas and vegetables to create a healthy casserole, or serve the creamy peas on a fluffy bed of whole-grain couscous, and top with sauteed greens and caramelized onions. Cornbread and biscuits are traditional accompaniments for black-eyed peas.
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