It's Your Life Aug/Sept 2015 | Page 15

14 August/September It’s Your Life Magazine 15 Hoppin’ John Cakes with Sweet Chili Sauce Lydia Filgueras Black eyed peas are actually a type of legume which has become a popular component of soul food and southern cooking. It’s a New Year’s Day tradition in the South to eat black eyed peas and collard greens to ensure good luck for the coming year. They’ve been eaten for millennia in the Mediterranean, Africa and Middle East. Black eyed peas were most likely brought to the United States via the slave trade where they were used to feed humans and animals alike. Nutritionally black eyed peas are high in calcium, potassium, iron, fiber and protein. Cooked plain, they’re also low in fat and calories. They have a distinct, earthy flavor that complements other foods (like greens) but can be very strong when eaten on their own. Isssue 3 Hoppin’ John is a dish with a t