Beverly’s Greek Black Eyed Pea Soup

INGREDIENTS

Qty	Size	INGREDIENTS
1	Medium	Onion (yellow is best but any will work) chopped
¼	C	Oil (EVOO or grapeseed or coconut)
32	Oz	Organic Vegetable Broth (may add water if the soup gets too thick)
1	Package	Black Eyed Peas (Fresh is best)
2	Medium	Carrots (Optional)
3	Stalks	Celery (peeled)& chopped
½-1	Cup chopped	Bell peppers (Red yellow and green if you have them)
4-5	Cloves	Garlic (crushed or sliced)
2-3	Whole	Bay leaves (fresh or dry)
1	Tsp.	Oregano (dried) or fresh Thyme if you prefer
1	Tsp.	Rosemary (dried) or 2 sprigs of fresh
1	14 oz. Can or Jar	Stewed tomatoes (or you may use fresh, ripe tomatoes—if available) chopped. You can also use tomato paste
½-1	Tsp.	Sea Salt (or more if you like) But put salt in at the very end because the broth and veggies also contain sodium and you don’t want to over salt)
	Optional	Pepper to taste
	At the Table:	You may add to individual portions (optional but tasty)
1	Tsp.	Olive oil
1	Tsp.	Wine vinegar (balsamic is tastiest)

 

 

DIRECTIONS

 

Brown the onion and all veggies in some oil until soft. Add the black eyed peas and other ingredients and bring to a boil. Then lower heat to lowest setting and simmer for about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick. At the table add raw, uncooked olive oil and wine or balsamic vinegar. We also like to add some non-wheat bread chunks to the soup. (Of course, always salt and pepper to taste.) This makes a very healthy and filling meal. Black eyed peas are high in protein, fiber and iron.

 

REMARKS

 

This hearty soup is a meal in itself. It is an old family recipe, passed down from my grandmother in Greece. It is flexible, in that you can take out ingredients you may be restricted from temporarily. For example, our LAD allergy patients must refrain from onions, garlic and spices for a short time during LAD month. Almost any combination of these ingredients will taste good together, and, at our house, my ten-year-old daughter Katerina likes to help peel the vegetables. It’s a great recipe for the family to cook together, which makes shorter work for mom. (Remember, if you want, you can add kombu for the benefit of alkalizing the soup.)

 

TASTES EVEN BETTER LEFT OVER