Well, let me tell ya somethin’ about cabbage and black-eyed peas. My old man, he used to say, “Eat your greens and beans, and you’ll be strong as an ox!” Don’t know ’bout no ox, but I reckon he was right ’bout them bein’ good for ya.
Now, these here black-eyed peas, some folks call ’em cowpeas or southern peas, whatever you wanna call ’em, they’re good eatin’. You can get ’em at the store, in them cans, or them frozen bags, or even dried up like little rocks. They say black-eyed peas are full of good stuff, like protein and fiber. Fiber, that’s what keeps ya regular, you know? And protein, well, that’s what makes ya strong, I guess. They also got them vitamins and minerals, like A and K, and that calcium stuff for your bones, and iron, so you don’t get all weak and tired.
- Good for your belly: Fiber in black-eyed peas helps your digestion, keeps things movin’ along smooth, if you know what I mean. And it’s good for your sugar levels too, keeps ’em from jumpin’ all over the place.
- Good for your muscles: Protein builds you up, makes you strong enough to carry them groceries and chase them grandkids.
And then there’s cabbage. Big ol’ heads of cabbage, green or purple, don’t matter much. Cabbage is packed with nutrients too. Just packed full of ’em. I remember my grandma used to make sauerkraut outta cabbage. Sour stuff, but it kept good all winter long.
Now, some folks get all fancy with their cookin’, but I like to keep it simple. A little bit of bacon grease in the pot, some onions, and then them peas and cabbage. Let it simmer for a while, till everything’s nice and tender. Add a little salt and pepper, and maybe some hot sauce if you like it spicy. That’s good eatin’, right there.
I ain’t no doctor or nothin’, but I heard tell that eatin’ cabbage and black-eyed peas can help you with your weight. Keeps you from gettin’ too big around the middle, you know? And it’s supposed to be good for your heart, keeps that blood pumpin’ the way it should. They even say it can help lower that cholesterol stuff, whatever that is.
Come New Year’s Day, everybody ’round here eats black-eyed peas and collard greens—or cabbage if you don’t have collards. They call it hoppin’ john, I think. Folks say it brings you good luck and money in the new year. Well, I ain’t seen no pot of gold yet, but it can’t hurt none, I reckon.
And don’t forget about them black beans neither. They’re kinda like cousins to black-eyed peas. They got all that good fiber and protein too, and them vitamins and minerals. Good for your digestion, good for your blood sugar, good for everything, seems like.
So, there you have it. Cabbage and black-eyed peas, good for your belly, good for your muscles, and maybe even good for your luck. Eat ’em up, and you’ll be alright. That’s what I always say. Just good, plain food, that’s what keeps you goin’. Don’t need none of that fancy stuff, just good ol’ fashioned cookin’ and a whole lotta love.
And remember, don’t go throwin’ out the pot likker! That juice left over after you cook the peas and greens? That’s the best part! Full of all the good stuff that cooked out. Drink it down, or sop it up with some cornbread. Waste not, want not, that’s what I say.
So next time you’re at the store, grab yourself some cabbage and some black-eyed peas. You won’t regret it. Your body will thank you, and maybe your luck will too. And that’s all there is to it. Simple as pie, well, maybe not pie, but you get the idea.
Tags: [cabbage, black-eyed peas, southern cooking, healthy eating, nutrition, fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, digestion, weight management, cholesterol, New Year’s tradition, hoppin’ john, black beans, good luck, simple recipes, home cooking, pot likker]