Black Eyed Peas

Since moving from the little Island that I have spent 35 years of my life
Every day seems like a new adventure
My work world is no exception
Before I left Quadra I had worked at one workplace for 16 years
crazy!
I grew up in that building surrounded with ladies that were more like family than co workers
venturing away from that has brought so many ups and downs
Since then I have been in two different workplaces and today as it turns out I am starting over again in another branch of CCCU
I have met SO many amazing beautiful people
SO many have inspired me in different ways
From a pretty lady that is getting ready to have her first baby ..she is as smart as a whip!
In free time she studies nutrition... she totally inspires me to know more ...I just want to pick her brain

A trained pastry chef that builds perfect rose buds from icing sugar, runs marathons, raises her two beautiful children as well as rocks a career as a lender...I baked my Dads 66th Birthday cake with one of her recipes and Facebook messenger support

Financial consultant experts that compete in Tough Mudders (crazy inspired!!!), runs marathons, and love to cook just like me!

To Insurance experts that can make a black eyed pea taste like spicy heaven with a spin on cooking that  compliment her beliefs...all her food is made fresh never from a can or frozen never prepared the night before basically SO much care and love seems to go into her cooking
One of my first days at her branch she had cooked lunch for everyone
The staff room had crock pots filled with all sorts of glorious food for everyone to share
shame since I was much too new and shy to try (I am such a stinker! I can't help it I always get so many butterflies in my tummy when I am new)

SO black eyed peas. I ordered some from a new organic grocery store I have discovered.
I have so many recipes I want to try!
This week I tried two:
A soup
and a Veggie burger

Including a couple of other ingredients that I have been craving
Kale, Beets, Millet
YOu DO NOT want to see what my kitchen looked like after making all of this
I planned on cooking a bit and studying as well
turns out I just cooked
especially since my guys aren't huge fans of kale and such I made a huge spaghetti too

Black Eyed Pea Mung Bean Wild Rice & Kale Veggie Stew

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tspns ground cumin
Pinch chilli flakes
Sea salt and black pepper
4 carrots, sliced into thick rounds
4 celery pieces, sliced into thick rounds
8 to 10 cups veggie stock
2 x 400g tins organic diced tomatoes, unsalted
Fresh Thyme, chopped
1/2 Cup Black Eyed Peas & 1/2 Cup Mung beans
1 jar organic tomato puree1/4 cup uncooked wild rice
10 large kale leaves, washed

Directions :

Chop the kale stems finely, then rip the leaves leaves – separate in two bowls and set aside.
 Heat oil in a large saucepan.  Add onion, garlic, cumin, chilli flakes, cover and reduce the heat to low cook down slowly for around ten minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the carrots, celery and kale stems to the onion mixture, toss through to combine and continue to cook down, covered, for a further 5 minutes.  Add 8 cups of stock, tinned tomatoes, seasoning and black eyed peas.  Cover pot, bring to the boil then simmer on low to medium heat for 40 minutes.
Next  add the tomato puree and wild rice, increase heat to high to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low/medium and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the brown rice then simmer further for 35 minutes or until both rices and lentils are cooked.  Make sure to stir regularly throughout all the steps.

Add the kale leaves last.  You don't want to overcook them this will ensure that they stay pretty and green :) Add a bit more stock if you prefer.

Black Eyed Veggie Burgers:

Ingredients:3 small Organic Beets, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup Black Eyed Peas
1/2 cup Millet
1/3 cup raw cashews
1 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup minced onion
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp Rosemary

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the chopped beets on a lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until tender. Remove and set aside.
While the beets are roasting, combine the black eyed peas with 1 1/2 cups water in a small pot on the stove. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until lentils are tender.
In yet another small pot, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add the Millet reduce heat and cover for 25 minutes.
Heat one tsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add minced onion, mushrooms and thyme and cook for about 6 minutes. Both onions and mushrooms should be softened.
When you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready, start making your burgers!
 Place raw cashews in either a food processor and process until they become a flour.
Then, add beets, bulgur, onions, mushrooms and rosemary and process until combined.
Add cooked lentils and continue processing until everything has combined but still sorta chunky. 
Now time to cook the burgers.
I have tried lots and lots of veggie burger recipes and most all of them are SO sticky and make a huge mess of your cookie sheets!
SO the best thing I have discovered is using silicone muffin cups.
These are great for portion sizing and your burgers will be perfect ever time and clean up is a breeze!

Next Time to EAT the Veggie Burger bites 
I like to wrap mine in a collard green like a burrito 
perfect for on the go 
Perfect for prepping for lunches on a busy week of a brand new job
wish me luck!