Frozen peas are available year round, but fresh garden peas are in season from early June until late July. Mangetout are undeveloped garden peas, picked while the pod is still edible. Similarly, Petits Pois are young garden peas that are picked and shelled when small, young and tender. Unlike mangetout pods, the pods of garden peas are too tough to eat, but popping fresh peas straight from the pod into your mouth remains one of life's great pleasures ...
Some buyer's guide tips:
Select fresh peas with bright green pods that are firm and plump.
Some preparation and cooking guide tips:
Peas don't need fussy preparation when they're in season.
When cooking - Boil for 2-3 minutes and use the minimum amount of water needed, and don't add salt, as they'll toughen up. Some may like to add a pinch of sugar to bring out their sweetness. Peas are also good steamed for one to two minutes.
As stated, boil them briefly until just tender, add a knob of butter and season with black pepper, perhaps crushing them lightly with a fork before serving alongside grilled fish fillets or slices of boiled ham hock.
For picnics, prepare a cold pasta salad and add peas or mangetout, a crumbly, tangy cheese such as feta, chopped mint and plenty of olive oil. Or make a Spanish-style tortilla (or Frittata) and add fresh peas and leftover vegetables. When the weather's hot, cool down with chilled pea soup, garnished with a swirl of cream.
Above words from here and here
Peas are considered a more starchy vegetable, and for some can be too 'carby' approx. 10g carb per 1/2 cup serving, compared to a 1 cup serving of chopped Broccoli, which has approx. 6 g. This means they have a higher amount of carbs and calories than non-starchy vegetables and may impact blood sugar levels when eaten in large amounts. However, I do think that for many, peas can make a welcome addition at the dining table. They are incredibly nutritious. One cup (160 grams) of cooked green peas contains 9 grams of fiber, 9 grams of protein and vitamins A, C and K, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin and folate.
Peas - do you like them? How do you eat yours?
Here are two low carb recipe ideas using peas - you may also have a favourite.
Chicken, with mushrooms and peas
See the recipe here
A variety of recipe ideas are within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you, if you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues please take these into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.
If you are new to low carb, or would like to know more, why not read our post 'Introduction to low-carb for beginners', it's free and you can find it here
All the best Jan
28 comments:
We love peas. Thanks for the helpful info and recipes.
Hello, hubby and I both enjoy peas. The chicken, mushrooms and peas is one of our favorites.
Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!
...with a spoon.
I love peas, your recipes look so good!
i won't eat peas - don't ask, it comes from my childhood!!!!
The only way I've ever enjoyed peas is standing in the garden popping the pods open and eating them sun warm and young.
I'm not a great fan of peas, so I hardly ever use them in cooking, but I'll be trying the chicken with mushrooms and peas.
Your recipes are delicious. And I love peas!
Great recipes, and I do love peas, they're on my menu this evening. Hugs, Valerie
I like them. Just basic- a bit of salt and pepper, with a dash of margarine or butter stirred in after they're drained.
I have to be honest in saying that I am not a fan of peas; however, I would definitely try these delicious looking dishes, Jan...and, yes, with the peas! :)
Love Green Peas. We get them two ways here most of the time: frozen or canned... Don't get Fresh Peas very often where I live.... I love the FROZEN kind --but cannot stand the ones in a can....
We like the fiber --so we mix peas in with lots of meals/casseroles, etc... One thing both hubby and I love is a big meal of all kind of Sauteed Veggies... We sometimes put a small portion of chicken or fish or some kind of meat in with the veggies... Good Eating for sure.
Hugs,
Betsy
Thanks for that Jan. By coincidence I had frozen peas with my evening meal of cornish pastie and baked potato. Like you say, the frozen and barely boiled retain their flavour and nutrition. We like to add peas to the grandkids cottage pie - they hardly notice.
Pea soup anyone? I've seen a lot of soups made with peas over the years. Not very palatable as far as I'm concerned. I'd rather have peas with baby onions and mushrooms as a side dish. Yum!
Peas (not canned) are among my very favorite green veggies. I would pick them out of the garn and eat them right out of the pods if I could but usually they are frozen. I do NOT like the ones in the can AT ALL :D
Looks delicious.
Hugs.
I keep a large bag of frozen peas in my freezer year round. We enjoy them in soups and stews and as a side dish. As a matter of fact we enjoyed them with our honey chicken today. Have a great evening. Thanks for posting about healthy foods, Jan. ♥
Fresh I love to eat them raw.
Frozen? Just cooked they add flavour and colour to lots of things. I do like the legume family.
I love peas, and will eat them just about any way... except canned. Yuk.
True story: My hubby and I were playing a game with friends in which a player is given five seconds to name three things within a stated category. On one of my turns, the category was "frozen treats." I blurted, "ice cream, frozen yogurt, and... peas." Everybody laughed hysterically, even me, because I knew they weren't gonna let me have that one. I was right. They didn't. :)
I didn't realize that they were carby. I've been experimenting with frittatas and finally am able to bake them to where they come out good. I'll have to use some peas in a frittata and see how I like it. I usually just add a handfull to stirfry.
Hi Jan, I love peas, but my hubby does not, so I have to sneak them in to my lunch rather than dinner. Thank-you for sharing the intro to low-carbs. I've been trying to watch mine as I grow older. The chicken with mushrooms and peas looks wonderful! Hope you have a lovely weekend! xx Karen
Hi there! Just thinking about peas, we'd have them very nearly every day in one way or another. They're a real staple in our house... funny how we can quickly get tired of some things but not others :D)
The recipe for chicken, mushroom and peas does look very appetising and I think it's because the peas haven't been added too early ;D) ... a bad habit of mine and then they look a bit too cooked! Appreciate the inadvertent reminder. Cheers!
I love peas and remember picking young pods and eating the peas while weeding the veggie patch. Now I buy frozen peas and steam them, then stirring in a knob of butter. I don't have them every day, but when we were kids they were on our dinner plates every night, usually right from mum's garden.
My peas are just about to start producing, and I can't wait, my favorite way to eat them is right out of the shell as I pick them! I also enjoy peas in soups and stews. It seems a lot of vegetables are starchy, I didn't realize peas also did that. You always share great information :) Have a blessed weekend!
I like peas, my brother doesn't though so we didn't cook with them that often. It could be fun to incorporate them into some recipes.
I do like peas and that chicken mushroom meal with it sounds yummy!!
Peas are one thing wished I liked but I just can't eat them , it's a textural thing with them. So many ways they can be used. I do like the wire spoon in the photo!
Lisa x
We love peas!!!
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