Veggie Fact of the Day

Crowder peas are called so because they are crowded together in their pads which causes them to have the squarish, funny looking shape. Crowder peas are also sometimes called Cow peas and belong to the field pea family, same as the black-eyed pea. are a leguminous crop, similar to the Black-eyed pea. 

As I researched Crowder peas this afternoon, I realized that they aren't all that new to me after all. They are often used in Indian cooking and are called Chawli in Marathi and Lobiya in Hindi, although I think that the Indian names are used a little more loosely than elsewhere. The lobiya I remember from my childhood was a pale buff colored bean with a dark spot where it attached to the pod ... remind you of something?? ... that's right! The Black-eyed pea. So while they may be related, they're definitely not the same plant. I didn't find much nutrition information specific to Crowder peas but I did find that like other beans and peas, they are rich in fiber and protein, and low in fat. ... they're good food people!!