Some of my earliest memories of black eyed peas involves my mother cooking them. They were highly seasoned and usually accompanied with pieces of some type of meat. I remember my mother favored seasoning the beans with ham hocks or neck bones. Thinking back, the addition of the ham did add flavor to the beans. My mother is an amazing cook and her black eyed peas, along with many of her other dishes rarely lasted.
Switching to a Vegan diet did not mean I give up on the “down home cooking”  I experienced from my youth. I call it, down home cooking with a twist. 😉 I always knew that plant based foods could taste great if prepared correctly. My mother started letting me help prepare meals when I was four years old, and so I took on this “new way of cooking” with a lot of enthusiasm. Although I had always eaten healthy as a non-veggie I really had not explored all the amazing things you could prepare with plant based foods until I made that transition.
It wasn’t long before I started preparing the standard vegetables like dark leafy greens, carrots, potatoes, peas, and beans in a variety of new ways. Surprisingly enough I experienced unique tastes from vegetables that I’d originally written off as “bland” and unappetizing. I learned quickly, that preparation is everything. Vegetables and fruit now had the starring role in the dishes I prepared and I had a lot of fun creating recipes in my kitchen. Naturally in those early days, they weren’t all winners but over time I perfected them, and learned how to prepare the numerous vegetables and fruits that graced our table.
However, somewhere in the process I forgot about black eyed peas. I abandoned them for years. While they were pushed to the side, numerous other beans made their way into my kitchen, and I enjoyed whipping up tantalizing vegan creations that satisfied my desire of creating good home cooked meals and in the process I impressed some of my non-veggie friends that happened to stop by my home.
About ten years ago, I started using black eyed peas again, and I was instantly transported back to my mothers kitchen, preparing food, sitting around the table, and spending time with family. The last dish I made with black eyed peas was in September 2013. It was spicy black eyed peas with veggies and herbs. Recently, I’ve been craving them so this time around, so I do believe I’ll make some Black eyed pea burgers.
I just never did like black eyed peas. We didn’t have them often growing up because my parents didn’t really care for them either preferring purple hull peas. But when Daddy would cook them he would also serve sour kraut (which my mom didn’t care for), and I would mix the kraut with the black eyed peas and they weren’t so bad. I would tear up the purple hull peas though. 🙂
DragonLady recently posted..Maniacal Monday #25
@DragonLady, I thought about you when I wrote this post, I remember you saying you disliked them. 🙂 Yep, we love purple hull peas. We grow those in the garden. The only part I don’t like is shelling them or any other beans. 😉
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I didn’t grow up with Black Eye Peas but I have done some things with them as an adult that I have enjoyed. I need to try them in something again, soon! I think in a veggie burger would be awesome!
Also…I’m a BEP’s fan…one of the better groups out there in the forefront in today’s music, I think 🙂
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@Jennifer, They are quite tasty in veggie burgers, in fact, it’s one of my favorite vegan burgers. They are quite flavorful.
Yep, I like the group too. 🙂
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Can’t get them here. Wonder what they taste like…
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@suituapui, I like them a lot! When prepared properly they have a soft creamy texture which makes them perfect for blending and mixing with other ingredients.
I think they taste great lightly salted with a few herbs and seasonings, but often I see them seasoned with a variety of meats or other vegetables. They make a great bean patty; soft, flavorful and tender.
I’ve blended them and made hummus, used them (along with other ingredients) to stuff peppers and all sorts of other foods. Freshly shelled black eyed peas have much more flavor than the dried beans you get at the store.
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I agree! I think a lot of people tend to undercook them.
Jennifer recently posted..Vegan Cheez-Its & Vegan Cheez Slices Made In My Dehydrator
@Jennifer, Yes, some people don’t cook them properly. I know a few people that have done that. Boy did those beans taste awful. Overcooking is bad also.
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