Black Eyed Peas Soup

Ingredients

2 stalks celery
1 bunch scallions
2 medium carrots
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
1 quart salt-free chicken or vegetable stock
¾ cup ditalini or other small pasta
1 (15.5-oz) can black eyed peas, drained
1 cup (packed) baby spinach
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Chop celery and scallions into ½-inch thick pieces. Peel and cut carrots into ½ inch cubes. 

2. In a stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil and heat for 2 minutes. Add carrot to pot and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add celery and cook for 1 minute. Add scallions, minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for another minite. 

3. Add broth and 2 cups of water; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta and black eye peas and cover the pot and cook for 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check pasta for desired pasta doneness. Stir until spinach is wilted.  Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. 

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Quick Tips

• Early summer is a good time to get black eyed peas fresh. When buying fresh, look for pods that are plump and bumpy — you should be able to feel the fat seeds inside. Once the beans are removed from the pods, they can be cooked immediately for 1 hour or until soft. 

• Black eyed peas are a good source of folate (B9) , copper, thiamine (B1) and iron.