Black Eyed Beans cooked in Fresh Tomato Sauce

Black Eyed Beans, Louvia as we call them in Cyprus, or Fassolia Mavromatika as they are called in Greece are my favorite kind of beans. In Cyprus, the traditional recipe is to cook them in boiling water with herbs and serve them in olive oil and lemon sauce. This recipe is quite nice and simple to make but I decided that I had enough of tradition so I decided to experiment. Et voila… Here comes my new version of the Black Eyed Beans recipe.

Like most beans, black-eyed beans are rich in soluble fiber which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. They are a good source of folate, potassium, copper, phosphorous, and manganese. As a high-potassium, low-sodium food they help reduce blood pressure. Not only are they low in fat, but when combined with grains, beans supply high-quality protein which provides a healthy alternative to meat or other animal protein. Beans also contain protease inhibitors which frustrate the development of cancerous cells.

Diet Notes:

To avoid flatulence introduce beans gradually into your diet. In addition, to avoid indigestion when using dried beans, follow cooking instructions carefully, as most beans require several hours soaking in order to destroy the bean toxin lectin. If using canned beans, please note that most varieties are canned in a salt solution, so rinse well before using.

Calories in Black-Eyed Beans:
1 cup cooked = 227 calories
This information was taken from Diet Foods & Nutrition
https://www.annecollins.com/diet_foods/black-eyed-beans.htm

The Ingredients I used.

Tomato and celery sauce preparation before adding the beans.

The beans were added to the sauce.

Coriander added just before serving.

The meal is ready to be served. As a side dish, I usually add tuna fish and a piece of bread.

This is a delicious dish that you and especially your children will love. The combination of tomatoes and celery will give these beans an extraordinary taste that will make you want more and more!

Here is the full recipe as I created it. Enjoy!!!

Black Eyed Beans cooked in Fresh Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
300gr black-eyed beans (peas)
3 large tomatoes, peeled and smashed
1 stick celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup of fresh coriander, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Preparation Method
1) Soak the beans overnight in cold water; drain and place in a pan with water, enough to cover the beans. Bring to the boil. As soon as the water starts boiling drain the beans and replace the water with a fresh one; repeat the same procedure three times. *

2) When step (1) is finished, add enough water in the pan to cover the beans and a bit of salt; simmer for 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Drain the beans and set them aside. **

3) In a saucepan heat the olive oil. Add the celery, garlic, and tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes.

4) Add the beans and simmer until there is no liquid in the saucepan.

5) Season with salt and pepper.

6) Finally add the coriander. Give it a stir and serve.

 * This procedure is done because we want the beans to keep a nice white color.
** Due to lack of time, I usually cook the beans in a pressure cooker for about 20 minutes.

I am linking this recipe to My legume love affair, hosted by Simona, of Briciole.