Black-Eyed Peas with Pork & Greens

From EatingWell: January/February 2009 — Subscribe Now!

This boldly flavored spin on Hoppin' John replaces salt pork or bacon with lean pork chops. Plus we've added greens—in this case kale—a traditional accompaniment with the dish. Serve with cornbread and a glass of Spanish rioja.

READER'S COMMENT:

"Great flavor! My husband loved it. Good as a left over. I'll definitely make it again. "

Black-Eyed Peas with Pork & Greens Recipe

6 servings, about 1 1/3 cups each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1 pound boneless pork chops, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup instant brown rice
8 cups roughly chopped kale leaves, (about 1 small bunch), tough stems removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, or sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, preferably hot (see Tip)
1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed

Preparation

Toss pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring, until just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
Add onion, tomato paste and rice to the pan and cook until the onion softens, about 4 minutes. Add kale and garlic and cook until the kale begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in broth, vinegar, paprika and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until the rice is done, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the reserved pork and black-eyed peas and heat for 1 minute.

Tips & Notes

Tip: Smoked paprika is a spice made from grinding smoke-dried red peppers. It's available in sweet, bittersweet and hot. Find it in the spice section of large supermarkets or at tienda.com.

Nutrition

Per serving: 281 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 45 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrates; 22 g protein; 5 g fiber; 405 mg sodium; 740 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (280% daily value), Vitamin C (190% dv), Potassium (21% dv), Magnesium (20% dv), Calcium & Iron (15% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat, 1/2 fat