Slow Cooked Black Eyed Peas with Ham

I made this for dinner tonight, and as it was sitting in the crock pot, Chris wasn't so sure he would like this healthy, inexpensive meal. He also didn't think it would fill him up. Well, I am happy to report that He and I loved this dish. We served it over brown rice and it was so yummy, hearty, and it was very filling. It is a healthy twist on a Southern dish and it really is comfort food, which is good since there is still snow on the ground here in MI. Anyways, this meal is inexpensive as well, which is always a bonus. And, because it cooks in the slow cooker, it is easy to assemble and makes the house smell so good! So, try this one out.

Source: Skinny Taste, a new favorite healthy food blog

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 161.4 • Fat: 1.6 g • Protein: 9.3 g • Carb: 29.2 g • Fiber: 6.7 g

8 oz smoked lean ham steak, diced (or a ham bone would be perfect)
1 pound dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and soaked overnight
2 bay leaves
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
1 tomato, diced
1/2 tsp chili powder (I used chipotle)
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
salt to taste
1 tsp ground black pepper

Soak peas overnight in 6 cups of water. The next morning, drain peas and add to slow cooker. Add 4 cups of water, bay leaves and ham. Cover and cook on high 6 hours or until the beans are tender.

After 6 hours, in a large frying pan, add oil and sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, and tomato until soft, about 6 minutes. Add to the slow cooker and season black eyed peas generously with salt, cumin, chili powder and black pepper. Cover and cook on high 1 to 1 1/2 more hours. Discard bay leaves and serve.