I know this recipe is coming a little later than usual, but that’s the way things went. I do believe you can get a little New Year’s luck any time of year. Anyway, as I write this I am getting over a cold. Not doing as well as I like to be. These days, I don’t take sick time when I’m sick unless I’m in really rough shape. Since I can work from home, I don’t need the sick time. You can only lay around and watch TV only so much. I still lay around, but I work. Keeps me from losing my mind. I don’t work a physical job, so this works out. One thing to note, this is not presenteeism. If you are not familiar with the term, it’s when someone doesn’t call in sick because they want to be seen as working through illness. If I had to go into the office, I would call in. I would still to work from home to keep me from boredom. So if you have the sick time and work in person, use your sick time. I think it’s a travesty that there are jobs where you call in sick and you get fired. Universal sick time for everyone. No exception.

I am starting out with a recipe from Budget Bytes for Coconut Jerk Peas with Pineapple Salsa. Not only is this recipe budget friendly, it’s easy and healthy. I can make it healthier with a few swaps. I will increase the protein and vitamin’s A and C. Because this is a bean dish with rice, the carbs will be a bit higher. I will also make sure all of these carbs are healthy. White rice is a sugar bomb. All in all I think this dish will turn out well.

Here are the original stats:

Here’s what I changed:

• I increased the servings from 4 to 8 to reduce the calories.
• I replaced the white rice with brown rice to add some fiber and nutrition and reduce the glycemic index.
• I added red bell pepper to increase the vitamins A and C.
• I replaced the coconut milk with a light variety to reduce the calories and saturated fat.
• I added in a block of extra firm tofu to increase the protein
• I deleted all but 1/4 teaspoon salt to reduce the sodium, but keep a little taste.

Here are the final stats:

Here is the final recipe:

Coconut Jerk Peas with Pineapple Salsa

Serves 8

• 1 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1 yellow onion, chopped 
• 3 red bell peppers, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 lb. frozen black eyed peas or purple hull peas 
• 1 14 ounce block of extra firm tofu
• 1 cup water
• 1-2 Tbsp jerk seasoning
• 1 14oz. can light coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste 
• 4 cups cooked brown rice 

Pineapple Salsa

• 2 cups chopped pineapple
• 1/4 red onion 
• 1 lime 
• 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro 

1. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper to a medium sauce pot with the olive oil and sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent.
2. Add the peas and tofu to the pot along with the water and 1 Tbsp of jerk seasoning. Stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat to medium-high, and allow it to come to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low, and let it simmer for 15 minutes, or until the peas are very tender.
3. While the peas are simmering, prepare the pineapple salsa. Chop the pineapple into very small pieces. Finely dice the red onion. Pull the cilantro leaves from their stems and give them a rough chop. Combine the pineapple, onion, cilantro, and juice from half the lime in a bowl. Stir to combine, then taste, and adjust the lime or salt if needed. Set the salsa aside.
4. Once the peas are very tender, turn the heat down to low, and add the coconut milk. Stir and heat through. Smash some of the peas against the side of the pot to help thicken the mixture. Taste the peas and add more jerk seasoning and salt until they are very well seasoned. You want the peas to be heavily seasoned because once they’re poured over the rice, the seasoning will seem diluted.
5. To serve, place a 1/2 cup of cooked rice in a bowl and add about 1 cup of the jerk peas with the coconut broth. Top with 1/2 cup of pineapple salsa, and a sprinkle of sliced green onions. Enjoy!