BLACK-EYED PEA TOMATO SALAD

Spending time in the kitchen with my late aunt was so much fun because she was an amazing cook and teacher. This black-eyed pea salad was one of her specialties. It’s easy to make and is a nice alternative to pasta or potato salad. Add cooked cubed chicken breast to make it a meal on its own.

—Patricia Ness, La Mesa, CA

Prep: 20 min. + chilling • Makes: 12 servings

• 4 cans (15 ½ oz. each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 3 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup diced red onion
• 4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• ½ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• ⅛ tsp. garlic powder

1. 1. Combine the first 6 ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Add to the bean mixture; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. 2. Stir mixture just before serving.

Note: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face.

¾ cup: 242 cal., 11g fat (1g sat. fat), 3mg chol., 602mg sod., 29g carb. (9g sugars, 5g fiber), 9g pro. Diabetic exchanges: 2 starch, 2 fat.