First, an apology to cookalmostanything.blogspot.com. In the original launching of this post I used an image of hers that I found on Flickr as an example of some gorgeous split peas. I did this in ignorance of her copyright laws, as images online are so easily tossed to and fro. She replaced the image on her site and was, obviously, angered by my usage. I thank her for teaching me a valuable blogging lesson and promise to have learned much from the experience. Please check out her blog – the recipes are amazing and worth playing with.
True story:
I’m seven years old or something and there’s a family gathering at our tiny little house in Connecticut. A great-aunt gives all the kids a quarter (big money in those days) and we’re all tossing them up in the air, entertaining ourselves as kids today would never understand. You know how your parents always told you not to put money in your mouth? Genius here did, for a reason I still don’t know today. And the inevitable happened… I swallowed my quarter.
Back thumping and the Heimlich did nothing to dislodge it. I was lucky in that my throat was a teensy bit too small, and the quarter was lodged at an angle rather than completely flat, so that I was able to get some oxygen in along with the panic laden coughing. Nestled in my mother’s lap, my father flew us to the hospital, driving faster than I’d ever seen him and cursing the cops for their absence in an escort.
At the hospital, x-rays are taken, I’m prepped for some delicate but not crazy procedure where they removed the quarter without lodging it flat in my throat when…
Let’s just say that green peas were my favorite food… I ate them like veggie crack. And all the coughing and panic induced vomiting, which upped the silver Washington!
A family joke two decades running, I still love peas.
Now, onto the point. Peas are our “Chew on This” special this week because it’s still bloody cold out and Split Pea Soup is one of my staples in hearty, warming fare.
So, first off, the health benefits of the green pea: Being of the legume family, peas have almost twice the protein of other vegetables. They’re high in fiber, which supports proper digestion and elimination. And, of course, they’re low in calories. Check out the Nutritional Values below…
Nutritional Values of Green Peas (per 1/2 cup) from HowStuffWorks
| Calories | 67 |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Carbohydrate | 13 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sodium | 2 mg |
| Vitamin A | 641 IU |
| Vitamin C | 11 mg |
| Thiamin | <1 mg |
| Riboflavin | <1 mg |
| Niacin | 2 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | <1 mg |
| Folic Acid: | 51 micrograms |
| Copper | <1 mg |
| Iron | 1 mg |
| Magnesium: |
31 mg |
| Manganese |
<1 mg |
| Potassium: |
217 mg |
| Carotenoids |
2,468 micrograms |
A PHENOMENAL site for exploring some of the world’s healthiest foods: The World’s Healthiest Foods . com!
Peas are also extremely versatile and inexpensive. In fact, they’re one of the easiest vegetables to enjoy year round as they freeze and thaw extremely well. In the summer I enjoy them straight out of the bag, nice and cold. In the winter, split peas in some chicken broth and soup vegetables makes a delightfully warming meal. And in a bind, the frozen delights mix well when sauteed with an onion and some olive oil! There are also several non-dairy, non-soy protein powders that are made from… you guessed it… split peas!
Cheers to the little green giant!
