About Field Peas

Dried field peas are available all year long. They belong to the same family as beans and lentils and, like them, are a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family, and a very good source of cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber.

Soluble fiber helps to prevent constipation and digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis. It also helps lower cholesterol and is of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders, since the high fiber content stabilizes blood sugar levels and prevents them from rising rapidly after a meal. If you have insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes, legumes like dried peas can really help you balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy.

Dried field peas also provide good to excellent amounts of five important minerals, three B-vitamins, and protein—all with virtually no fat. As if this weren’t enough, dried peas also feature isoflavones, phytonutrients that act like weak estrogens in the body and whose dietary consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of certain health conditions, including breast and prostate cancer.

In addition to their stellar fiber content, dried peas also feature other heart-healthy nutrients. They are a good source of potassium, which may decrease the growth and development of blood vessel plaques and is also good for lowering high blood pressure.

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Posted on June 1, 2015

Field Pea Herb Hummus

Hummus doesn’t have to mean chickpeas — you can make a fantastic veggie dip from field peas and other legumes, too.

1 cup dried Nash’s field peas
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoons chili powder
Dash cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce
Dash salt

Soak the field peas overnight. Drain and cook one hour or until tender. (Save the drained cooking liquid and save for soup.) Place peas into a blender or food processor and add all other ingredients. Process until smooth. Use as a spread on crackers or veggies.

Cilantro, dill, and garlic add extra flavor to this yummy dip.

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Posted on May 27, 2015

Green Garlic Hummus

Green spring garlic is milder than garlic in bulb-and-clove form, but it can still garlic up your favorite dishes.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 bunch green garlic (6 to 8 stalks)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or Nash’s field peas*
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Trim the green garlic stalks and chop them. Let sit for 5-10 minutes while you drain and rinse the chickpeas and gather the rest of the ingredients. Put chopped green garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they’re more finely chopped. Add the lemon juice and salt and whirl until a rough puree forms. Add the chickpeas or field peas and pulse until everything is combined. Whirl in the oil until a puree forms again. Stir in pepper and/or lemon zest to taste. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as you like. Serve with crackers, bread, or crudités.

Although this recipe uses green garlic, which is milder than cured garlic bulbs, it still packs a big punch! The flavors will intensify over time, so if you want a milder hummus prepare just before serving.

*Try using a cup of Nash’s dried field peas instead of canned garbanzos. Soak them overnight, and then cook until tender, about an hour. Cool, drain, and add to the recipe.

Recipe adapted by Virginia Newman from About.com.

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Posted on April 21, 2015

Pumpkin Curry with Field Peas and Tuna

Nash’s green field peas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sliced onion
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 plum tomato, chopped
1 pumpkin, cut, roasted & pureed
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cauliflower, roasted & diced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons tamari sauce
1 can Cape Cleare tuna
Cilantro
Lime zest

Prepare field peas according to instructions on container.

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ginger; sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in plum tomato and pumpkin puree. Cook, stirring frequently, until pumpkin is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add vegetable broth, coconut milk, curry powder, and cayenne pepper; simmer for 20 minutes. Add cauliflower, lime juice, and tamari. Add 1 can drained tuna, simmer until cooked, 10 minutes, and serve with field peas. Top with cilantro and lime zest.

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Posted on November 25, 2014

Garlic Dip

So healthy and so tasty!

Makes 3/4 cup

2 cups cooked Nash’s field peas
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chicken or vegetables broth
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Thin with additional water, olive oil or lemon juice as desired. Serve with carrot sticks, celery, kholrabi, cauliflower, steamed beets, halved Brussels sprouts, bok choi stems, sunchokes, etc.

We thank The World’s Healthiest Foods for this recipe.

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Posted on February 28, 2014

Traditional Field Peas

1 pound dried field peas
1 meaty ham bone
1 large onion, chopped, about 1 cup
1-2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot cooked rice for 6
Sliced green onions for garnish

Rinse, pick over (for pebbles that may have escaped the cleaning process), and simmer field peas in water for about 1 1/2 hours. Rinse and drain the peas. In a slow cooker, combine peas with ham bone, onion, celery and garlic. Add 1 cup water or broth. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Add Cajun seasoning, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking for 1-2 hours longer. Serve with hot cooked rice and sprinkle with sliced green onion if desired.

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Posted on February 8, 2014

Quinoa Sunchoke Pilaf

The mild, nutty flavor of sunchokes complements quinoa nicely.

1/2 cup quinoa
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/4 cup vegetable (or chicken) broth
3/4 cup chickpeas or field peas, cooked
1 cup peeled, chopped sunchokes
1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place quinoa in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Pour into a strainer, then return the quinoa to the bowl and rinse 4 times more. Drain well.

Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rinsed quinoa and cook, stirring, until it cracks and pops, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft.
Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the chickpeas, sunchokes, peas, and pepper, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

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Posted on January 30, 2014

Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas & Mustard Greens

Nourish, Sequim’s new garden-to-plate restaurant and gathering place, is featuring a series of meals created using items from Nash’s farm share boxes each week. This recipe showcases our super-sweet Walla Walla onions.

10 oz. mustard greens
1/2 Walla Walla onion
6 tablespoons vegetable broth
4 cloves garlic
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon honey
1 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans), cooked (may substitute Nash’s field peas)

Walla Walla onions are huge and sweet!

Remove large stems from washed greens and tear into bite-size pieces. Saute onion in broth until soft, and add garlic and red pepper. Add more broth if necessary and cook for another minute. Add greens and stir until wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Remove greens and onions from pan, leaving liquid. Add vinegar, soy, honey and more broth, if necessary. Add chickpeas and cook until liquid is reduced to half. Spoon chickpeas over greens and drizzle with sauce. Serve with chopped chicken, shrimp, or sausage, or on its own.

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Posted on August 2, 2013