Quarantine Recipe: Easy Spicy Peas!
No matter what the rest of my diet looks like, I always try to remain consistent with my vegetable intake. I believe that this is the easiest way to ensure you’re eating healthy in terms of both portion size and nutrient density without thinking about it.
Why at eat 1-2 cups of vegetables with lunch and dinner?
Scroll to the bottom to get right to the recipe!
Effortlessly reach fiber goals. I recommend that every client meet a goal of 25-30g fiber per day, preferably from dietary sources and not a supplement. Fiber will help you recover efficiently from workouts, keep your digestive system working efficiently, and promote healthy hormonal balance. All of these benefits are especially important during shelter in place when our diets and schedules have all been turned on their heads and our stress levels are high.
Reach dietary micronutrient (vitamin/ mineral) requirements more easily. Vegetables are where you get a lot of your vitamins! Vitamins are what help you to digest food better and actually put all those macronutrients (proteins, fats and carbs) to good use! They also balance a lot of other stuff like hormones, stress, muscle recovery, and more.
Feel full and satisfied after every meal. Vegetables add a lot of volume to your meal. If you’re eating two cups of vegetables and adequate protein, you won’t leave the dinner table feeling unsatisfied.
Why peas?
They’re cheap, keep well and are readily available. During shelter in place, I’m committed to going to the grocery store only once per week at the most. By the end of week one, I often find myself digging in the back of my freezer to see what vegetables I have left. Even when I do go to the store, my top picks aren’t always in stock so I need to get creative to keep my vegetable intake high and not too depressing.
They’re healthy. Peas have a great nutrient profile! They’ve also got a lot of protein for a vegetable, making them more satiating than the average vegetable and great for strength training goals. That’s why so many vegan protein powders are pea based! Here are some nutritional highlights, numbers are based on a 1/2 cup serving.
Calories: 62
Fiber: 4 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Vitamin A: 34% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 24% of the RDI
Vitamin C: 13% of the RDI
Thiamine: 15% of the RDI
Folate: 12% of the RDI
Manganese: 11% of the RDI
Iron: 7% of the RDI
especially important for those of us who menstruate!
Phosphorus: 6% of the RDI
Source: USDA
How do frozen vegetables compare to fresh?
While frozen options might not always seem as appealing at their fresh counterparts, they’re just as nutriitious if not MORE nutritious than fresh ones! If you have the option, stick with fresh or frozen over canned! Frozen vegetables are especially useful if you’re going to the store less than once a week - those fresh vegetables might not look so great by day 10. Good to have a mix of fresh and frozen on hand. Curious why? Check out this old blog on buying in season produce to learn more.
Easy Spicy Peas Recipe
This recipe can be made with fresh, frozen or even canned (drained) peas. I will give instructions based on frozen peas! Total time should be less than 30 minutes including the chopping and mincing.
Ingredients:
2 TBSP oil of choice
2 cups peas (one average bag of frozen peas)
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 TSP turmeric powder
1/4-1/2 TSP curry powder, optional
1/2 TSP red pepper flakes
Decrease or eliminate if you don’t like spice.
Salt, to taste
1/4 cup water
Directions
Take the peas out of the freezer and let thaw on the counter for about 10-15 minutes before moving to the next step. If you haven’t already, this is a good time to prep the garlic and onion and dig around for spices.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add minced garlic, curry, and turmeric and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Add thinly sliced onions and sauté until they’re slightly browned. This may take a little bit - perhaps 5-8 minutes.
Add green peas red pepper flakes. Season with salt and combine well with the rest of the ingredients in the pan. Add 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring pretty regularly. until the peas are slightly crispy. This will likely take another 8 minutes!
Season with more salt to taste, and serve!
Bonus: turmeric has great health benefits AND gives the onions a nice fun color!