Instant Pot Black Eyed Pea and Greens Soup (Stovetop and Slow Cooker options)

Happy 2023! What culinary creations did you ring in the new year with?  I’m way late to the party with sharing New Year food, but this one’s really just an easy, throw-in-what-you’ve got, anytime winter warmer that happens to include a few traditionally auspicious ingredients.

As much as I can be resistant to rituals--at least, when they feel prescribed or inauthentic--I can be such a sucker for symbolism including when it's parceled with superstition.  This year, given the weekly wallop inflation has been delivering each big grocery shop and more, all the edible tokens of prosperity were irresistible--this black eyed pea and greens winter warmer and golden cornbread. Lately I've been finishing nearly every soup with a bit of bulk from crumbled up tortilla chips, making them all kind of a version of tortilla soup. I'm sure I'll tire of it eventually, but right now it feels a little like a secret  extra tasty soup hack.

Beans haven’t had the best PR over the years, getting lumped with poems and jokes around flatulence when we all knnow they’re an excellent, affordable source of fiber and plant-based protein as well as vitamins and minerals. Apparently, black-eyed peas are also associated with good luck, dating back to the Civil War when they were key to Confederate soldiers’ survival. I’ve also read that they resemble coins, an explanation I prefer—because, well, I’d rather leave war stories and everything associated out of my good luck edible portents.

Keeping the prosperity theme going, greens…well, it’s kind of obvious why they’re associated with riches. They also bring a wealth of health, as powerhouses of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and pretty much everything a body needs in food. I like to finish this soup off with my recent favorite bulk-adding flavor hack, which is adding crumbled tortilla chips at the end, making every vegetable soup kind of a version of tortilla soup. Pair with golden cornbread (another overt symbol) and you’ve got a humble and hearty, delicious invitation for a prosperous year ahead.

I don't really put together a list of resolutions with new year, but I do reflect on the past and ways to improve, and I also like to choose defining words to hold especially close in the new year. This year mine are Kindness and Compassion, Courage, Curiosity, and Intention. I also want to add something like Lightness or Playfulness. Sometimes it's easy to be a cheerleader for everyone but ourselves, and I am prone to taking small things like perceived slights too seriously, or missing out on present joys by overly anticipating future losses and fears if I'm not careful. Would love to hear about all of you--what mindsets are you bringing into this season? Wishing you all abundance in joy, health, and peacefulness! xo

Nourishing New Year food for every day!

Instant Pot Black Eyed Pea and Greens Soup
6 servings

2 Cups dried black eyed peas, soaked and drained (or 3 cans, drained and rinsed)
1 small onion, diced
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 links plant-based Chorizo sausace, or of choice, sliced
1 15-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
1 Teaspoon Italian seasoning
Pinch red pepper flakes
6 Cups vegetable broth
2 Cups chopped collard greens, kale, or greens of choice
Crushed tortilla chips, optional
Sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste

Turn your Instant Pot to the Saute setting and saute the onion, carrots, and pepper in 1/3 Cup water or a littlle cooking spray or oil for a few minutes to soften. Add the plant-based sausage and garlic and continue to saute a few minutes more.
Add the remaining ingredients and set to Pressure Cook on high with Quick Release and Keep Warm settings for 15 minutes.
When it’s OK to open the lid, stir in the greens and bulk up as desired with crumbled tortilla chips (or simply season to taste with salt and pepper).

For stovetop: I recommend using canned beans, sauteeing as above and letting simmer until vegetables are tender, approximately 20 minutes.
For slowcooker: Prepare as above, either sauteeing in a pan or skipping this step (minus the plant sausage), and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4. For slow cooker, I recommend cooking the plant sausage in a skillet separately and adding at the end with greens and tortilla chips, if using.