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Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion in the oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Use a little nonstick cooking spray if needed. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more. Add the greens, 1/4 cup of water, and the salt. Cover the pot and cook down the greens for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the black-eyed peas, tomato sauce, and broth, and mix thoroughly. Cover the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the hot sauce and liquid smoke, then use a potato masher to mash some of the beans, about one-quarter of them, to thicken the sauce. Cook for about 5 more minutes, uncovered. Taste for salt and seasoning. You may want to add more hot sauce.

NUTRITION TIP

Peas and greens are a wonderful combination for taste and nutrition. With one serving you will eat as much fiber as the average American gets in a whole day! Plus a day’s worth of vitamin A and a quarter of the iron. Combine with one serving of the Ginger Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Apples, and you’ll have 16 grams of protein and nearly one-fifth of your calcium for the day. All with only 2 grams of fat and less than 400 calories.

Baked Falafel

MAKES 12 FALAFEL, SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES

PER SERVING

(¼ RECIPE, FALAFEL

INGREDIENTS ONLY):

Calories: 140

Calories from fat: 40

Total fat: 4.5 g

Saturated fat: 0 g

Trans fat: 0 g

Total carb: 19 g

Fiber: 5 g

Sugars: 3 g

Protein: 6 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 380 mg

Vitamin A: 15%

Vitamin C: 25%

Calcium: 10%

Iron: 15%

Of course, we all love deep-fried foods, but so long as your falafel has plenty of flavor, it won’t lose too much in the low-fat baked translation. My version uses pureed chickpeas, as well as a little chickpea flour to give it extra of that savory chickpea flavor. I love fresh herbs in falafel, Israeli style. Use either flat-leaf parsley or cilantro; it’s all up to your personal preference.

When baking falafel, it works best to form them into patties instead of balls; that way they cook evenly. I forgo the traditional pita because I love to serve them over salad, especially arugula, sprinkled with a little freshly squeezed lemon juice and coarsely ground kosher salt. You can also pile on the veggies; tomatoes, cucumber and red onion are all natural choices. Any variation on the hummus makes a great accompaniment, so go ahead and double your chickpea pleasure.

And if you would like pita, there are some wonderful whole wheat brands on the market, and even whole wheat mini pitas. But if you’re looking for something lighter, try making a lettuce wrap instead.

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 cloves garlic

½ small white onion, chopped roughly (about 3 tablespoons)

½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons hot sauce

3 to 4 tablespoons chickpea flour

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Several pinches of freshly ground black

pepper

TIP

These make a great packed lunch! I think they taste best at room temp, so store in the fridge until about an hour before you eat, then leave out at room temp, just to take the chill off.

OPTIONS TO TO SERVE:

Arugula or other salad greens

Chopped or sliced tomato

Diced or sliced cucumber

Sliced red onion

Lemon wedges

Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Pulse the chickpeas and garlic in a food processor. Add the onion, parley, olive oil, and hot sauce, and blend until relatively smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary to make sure you get everything.

Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Mix in the 3 tablespoons of chickpea flour, cumin, coriander, paprika, baking powder, salt, and pepper. The mixture should be mushy but firm enough to shape into balls. If it doesn’t seem firm enough, add a tablespoon of chickpea flour.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Form the mixture into walnut-size balls, then flatten