Hip Pea Power Bowl

I love peas! I have fond memories of mixing them into my mashed potatoes as a kid because I loved that green polka dotted look. It made me happy…like balloons.

I don’t eat mashed potatoes that often anymore, but I eat peas several times a week. Peas are a power house fruit, packing in a lot of protein for a plant.

Here is a recipe that I designed and everyone who I’ve shared it with and who has tried it has fallen in love with the healthful, zesty & filling combination.

First, get yourself a bag of organic frozen peas. Do not use canned peas. Fresh would be even better if you can find them!

This store brand from my local grocery has 5 cups of peas. Each cup has 5 grams of protein, so the whole bag offers 25 grams of clean protein! Peas offer no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium, dietary fiber, natural sugar, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Iron.

And that’s just what the packaging tells you.

Peas also contain Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium, Selenium, Zinc, Manganese, Copper, Niacin, Folate, Panthothenic Acid, Vitamins B1, B2, B6, K & E.

Heat up the entire bag on the stove over low heat. Do NOT add any water. I time mine for 10 minutes with the lid on, then I stir them around, then heat for another 10 minutes with the lid on.

Make sure your temperature is set on low because the peas can burn very easily without water…and you don’t want to add water because you want all the nutrients to stay in the peas, not leech into the water.

Do your best to avoid the microwave. I tell you why in The 9th HAPPY™ Step free online food course.

While your peas are steaming to warmth, get your toppings ready. I love avocado, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, sea salt & freshly ground black pepper.

Here I have two small avocados and 3 small tomatoes. Sometimes I use one large avocado and a box of grape or cherry tomatoes. Sometimes I use Roma tomatoes. I always choose organic tomatoes and am more flexible with organic or conventional avocados since I’m not eating the skin.

When the peas are fully steamed, put them first in a bowl.

Then layer on the avocado (put it next to the peas so it warms up a bit) and then the tomatoes on top. Experiment by adding red onion, sprouts, and/or fresh herbs on top.

Now drizzle balsamic vinegar (I use organic) over the fruit mountain (yes peas, avocados and tomatoes are all fruit!) then sprinkle on some crunchy sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. I like my vinegar to pool a bit in the bottom of the bowl…it’s somewhere around 3-4 tablespoons is my guess.

There is absolutely no need to add olive oil. There is plenty of whole fat in the avocado.

And voila! You have a vitamin packed, antioxidant rich, protein dense, flavorful plant-based and filling meal quickly, beautifully & smartly. Enjoy!

I tend to eat this meal for dinner rather than during the day. I eat primarily sweet fruit for breakfast and lunch (my online daily food diary) to provide clean fuel for productivity & activity and save my non-sweet fruit and veggies for dinner to help ground and prepare me for sleep.

The avocado supplies the bulk of my fat for the day. One whole avocado is more daily fat than called for eating the 80/10/10 way, however I’m ok with that. The most important issue to keep in mind when eating a high fruit diet is to be conscious of fat intake as fat can and will slow down the processing of natural fruit sugars…so much so that it can lead to body fat production.

UPDATE: Last night I made my Hip Pea Power Bowl as usual, or so I thought. Half way through I realized that I had forgotten the balsamic vinegar. I couldn’t believe it! I was enjoying my dinner thoroughly as normal but at some point I realized it looked different. I dug down into the peas looking for the brown vinegar, but it wasn’t there. I continued to finish my meal with delight, knowing now that I can enjoy it without the acidic vinegar condiment. Give it a try! Next time I’m going to squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the dish for a little extra nutrition & zest.

UPDATE #2: Since trying the lemon juice option, this is what I’ve been using regularly. I squeeze the juice from one whole fresh lemon and the flavor is great! Lemon is also very alkalizing in the body so there are many more benefits to choosing lemon over balsamic vinegar.

Recipe Video:

Further Resources:

The Problem with Fruit

Can Plant Based Eating Provide Sufficient Protein?

The Myths & Metaphysics of Protein

The 8 Most Forgotten Fruity Vegetables