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2025 Badass Black Eyed Peas

Human beans, Marzo 1973 by libraryofcongress is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

Thinking about making black eyed peas for good luck?  Me too. As 2025 comes to a close I once again searched my blog for the number of Badass versions I have.

Badass Black Eyed Peas

Black Eyed Peas – Pandemic Version 2021

Vegetarian Badass Black Eyed Peas – 2022

(don’t ask what happened in 2023)

and 2024 Badass Black Eyed Peas

The beans needs to simmer for several hours. Give the beans an overnight soak in filtered water and change the water several times. Drain. Everyone in the pool.  I don’t cook the beans separately for this dish.

1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp each smoked paprika, chili powder
1 T Mexican oregano
1 T cumin

1/2 cup white wine
1 qt low sodium chicken broth
2 T tomato paste and one 15 ounce can stewed tomatoes
1/2 lb black eyed peas (dried, see soaking instructions)
1 lb ground turkey
Salt & pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

  1. Place the dried beans into a stock pot large enough to hold the beans when fully plumped up.  Rinse the beans with water several times.  Fill the pot with fresh water and soak overnight.
  2. In the morning drain then add fresh water to the beans. Change the soaking water at least twice. Drain the beans again and set aside. Take the pot to the stove.
  3. Olive oil medium heat. Saute the onion, celery, and green pepper until softened about five minutes.  Add the garlic and saute another minute.
  4. Add the turkey and brown, breaking up the clumps as you go.
  5. Add about 1/2 cup white wine. Simmer for a few minutes.
  6. Toss everything else into the pool.  Spices, tomato paste, broth, and beans.
  7. The black eyed peas (drained) with all ingredients needs enough chicken broth to barely cover everything. You may need more or less broth than one quart.
  8. Bring to a boil then simmer for several hours with the pot partially covered.
  9. Check the pot and stir occasionally.  Add more broth as the peas cook and the dish thickens.
  10. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, and your favorite hot sauce.
  11. Yum.  Makes about 6-8 servings.

Odd Notes

This dish will taste better on day two. The chicken broth is a substitution for beef broth and results in a lighter dish.

Texas Corn Bread of course.

Happy New Year! I hope this dish brings you much good luck in 2026

Sharp eyes and longtime readers will notice there’s not much of a difference between 2024 and 2025’s Badass recipes.

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Obesity Economics

Some 56.2 percent of the daily calories consumed by US adults come from federally subsidized food commodities: corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, sorghum, dairy, and livestock. While these calorie-dense foods once made sense for a government preparing for famine or total war, in recent decades they’ve instead helped make us fatter and sicker.  Obesity Economics: How Subsidies Distort the American Diet – https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/obesity-economics-how-subsidies-distort-the-american-diet/

Yikes.

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What ChatGPT Thinks of This Blog

Good question. Garyskitchen.net is a blog / food memoir website. (garyskitchen.net)

Here’s what it seems to be about:

  • It’s focused on weight loss, family recipes, and nutrition. (garyskitchen.net)
  • The author shares personal stories — it’s not just recipes, but also reflections on their journey. (garyskitchen.net)
  • There’s a “Weight Control” category, showing that managing weight is a core theme. (garyskitchen.net)

If you like, I can check whether it’s a reliable or trusted site (e.g. based on its credibility, authorship, how up-to-date it is). Do you want me to do that?

I responded Yes.

Good question. Here’s an analysis of garyskitchen.net — what it is, who runs it, and how “reliable” it is (with strengths and some caveats).

What is garyskitchen.net?

  1. A Personal / Memoir-Style Site
    • The site describes itself as “a food memoir of weight loss, family recipes, digital cookbook and nutrition information.” (garyskitchen.net)
    • Its author, “Gary,” is not a credentialed dietitian or nutrition scientist. On his About page, he explicitly states: “I am not a credentialed expert in diet, weight loss or nutrition … My area of expertise is mortality risk assessment.” (garyskitchen.net)
    • He used to weigh ~370 pounds and claims to have lost ~200 pounds and kept it off for decades. (garyskitchen.net)
  2. Professional Background of the Author
    • Gary’s day job is in mortality risk assessment. According to the About page, he studies “what kills people” for a living. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He also blogs elsewhere (lifeunderwriter.net) about related topics. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He writes as a hobbyist / personal storyteller rather than a formally trained nutrition professional. (garyskitchen.net)
  3. Content Characteristics
    • The blog mixes personal stories, reflections, and recipes with commentary on nutrition research. (garyskitchen.net)
    • Posts often cite studies or link to external research (e.g., in a May 2024 post, he links to scientific studies). (garyskitchen.net)
    • He’s fairly transparent: in his About page he notes he doesn’t make money from the blog (“I earn nothing from my blogs”) and clarifies that products mentioned are not endorsements. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He also mentions that his blog is run on a “free” WordPress account, which is why there are ads. (garyskitchen.net)

How Credible / Reliable Is It?

Here are strengths and limitations, based on standard criteria for evaluating nutrition information.

Strengths

  • Transparency: Gary is very clear about his background, his lack of formal credentials in nutrition, and his motivation. That honesty is a good sign — he’s not pretending to be a registered dietitian or doctor.
  • Evidence Engagement: He links to scientific research sometimes, which suggests he’s trying to ground his advice or reflections in real studies.
  • Long-Term Experience: Because he’s writing from his own weight-loss story (losing and maintaining weight), his insights about sustainable habits may be credible from a lived-experience perspective.
  • No Clear Commercial Bias: He says he doesn’t make money from the blog, which reduces risk that his content is primarily to drive sales or “push” a diet product.

Limitations / Risks

  • Not Professionally Qualified in Nutrition: Since he’s not a registered dietitian or a certified nutrition scientist, advice on very technical or therapeutic nutrition topics should be viewed cautiously.
  • Anecdotal Bias: Some of his guidance may be heavily influenced by his personal journey, which may not generalize to everyone. What worked for him might not work the same way for someone with different health conditions or body types.
  • Selective Use of Research: While citing studies is good, without a formal scientific or peer-review process he may selectively cite research that aligns with his views.
  • Lack of Peer Review: Blog posts are not peer-reviewed in the way academic papers are, so risk of misinterpretation of studies (or over-generalization) is higher.

Bottom Line — Is It Trustworthy Enough to Use?

  • Yes — garyskitchen.net can be useful, especially for inspiration, recipes, and personal insights on weight loss and maintenance.
  • But for medical or therapeutic nutrition advice (e.g., if you have a health condition, specific dietary needs, or chronic disease), it shouldn’t be your only source.
  • Use it as one piece of the puzzle, and complement it with evidence-based sites from established health authorities (e.g., Nutrition.gov, USDA, or peer-reviewed journals).

I couldn’t find much personal public info about “Gary” from garyskitchen.net — here’s what is known, and where things are unclear:

What We Know About Gary (of Gary’s Kitchen)

  1. Professional / Day Job
    • He says he’s “a subject-matter expert in the field of mortality risk assessment.” (garyskitchen.net)
    • He studies “what kills people” as part of his career. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He has another blog called lifeunderwriter.net that seems to connect to his professional side. (garyskitchen.net)
  2. Personal Background & Identity
    • He describes himself as: a published writer, an amateur philosopher, “extremely good cook,” bargain shopper, a dad (“professional Papa”), and a blues guitarist. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He used to weigh 370 pounds and lost a significant amount of weight, and he writes from that experience. (garyskitchen.net)
    • On his About page, he notes: “5.10 168 – Updated October 13, 2022” — likely referring to his height (5’10”) and weight (168 lbs) as of that date. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He is very clear that he does not make money from the blog, at least according to his About: “I earn nothing from my blogs … any products mentioned … are not endorsements.” (garyskitchen.net)
    • He also mentions that his WordPress account is the “free” version, which is why there are ads. (garyskitchen.net)
  3. Motivation / Philosophy
    • He has a clear mission: to help people realize their food choices matter and that “you have more control over your life and health than you realize.” (garyskitchen.net)
    • He frames his writing as a “food memoir” — combining stories, recipes, and reflections on nutrition. (garyskitchen.net)

What Isn’t Known / What’s Unclear

  • There’s no publicly listed full name, at least on his blog. He just goes by “Gary.”
  • I found no professional bio (e.g., LinkedIn, academic publications) that clearly ties “Gary, the mortality risk assessor” to a publicly known figure with a verifiable identity.
  • There’s no information about his education on garyskitchen.net.
  • No public photos or video interviews (at least ones clearly tied to “Gary of garyskitchen”) that provide more personal background like age, family origin, or city of residence.
  • Because he states he earns nothing from the blog, he doesn’t appear to have built a large, commercial “influencer” presence under that name.

My Assessment

  • Gary appears to be a private individual who runs his blog more as a personal project / passion than a business.
  • His professional side (mortality risk assessment) is unusual for a food blog, which gives him a somewhat unique perspective — he’s thinking about long-term health, risk, and longevity in his writing.
  • Because of his transparency, his content seems fairly sincere and not overly commercialized.

If you like, I can try a deep web search (including archives, domain registration, etc.) to see if there’s any more biographical info out there. Do you want me to do that?

Hell no.

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The Only Oyster Post You’ll Ever Read On This Blog

While wild oysters were an important part of an Indigenous diet in what is now Maine, by the 1900s they had all but disappeared. Most people considered them functionally extinct, in fact, until this spring, when researchers from the University of Maine published a study confirming their return, often in close proximity to the oyster farms that have populated the waterfront over the last few decades. Wild Oysters Make a Comeback in Maine – https://civileats.com/2025/10/14/wild-oysters-make-a-comeback-in-maine/

I don’t eat oysters.

I’ve had Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning https://hab.whoi.edu/impacts/impacts-human-health/human-health-paralytic-shellfish-poisoning/ and that was that.

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ATTENTION PARENTS – ChatGPT as Babysitter

Bottom Line – Bad idea.

“After listening to my four-year-old son regale me with the adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine for 45 minutes I tapped out,” he wrote, “so I opened ChatGPT.” In an interview with The Guardian, Josh said he needed to do chores and thought his son “would finish the story and the phone would turn off.” But when he returned two hours later, the child was still talking to the chatbot about Thomas and friends. The transcript, he discovered, was over 10,000 words long. Lazy Parents Are Giving Their Toddlers ChatGPT on Voice Mode to Keep Them Entertained for Hours – https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/parents-toddlers-chatgpt-voice-mode

You’re welcome.

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More Coffee Please (to increase beneficial gut bacteria)

Drinking coffee is linked to stimulating the growth of bacteria like L. asaccharolyticus—creating a healthier gut microbiome.  As coffee compounds are metabolized by gut bacteria, they produce beneficial metabolites like quinic acid (which research shows has antioxidant and protective properties2) and hippurate (which is a marker of metabolic health).  Drinking This Daily Can Increase 115 Types Of Good Gut Bacteria – https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/new-study-reveals-impact-of-coffee-on-gut-microbiome-what-does-this-mean-for-you

I think I’ll have another cup.

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Wisconsin Parmesan

The Great Parmesan Cheese Enigma – https://slate.com/life/2025/09/italian-food-parmesan-cheese-parmigiano-reggiano.html

Grandi said that Wisconsin Parmesan, not Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano, has “stayed more or less true to the original recipe.” He also told me the name of a Wisconsin company that he thought was making just this type of old-school classic Parmesan: Sartori. Sartori, founded in 1939, is now a fourth-generation company headquartered between Milwaukee and Green Bay. It sells a variety of cheeses that are likely available in your local supermarket, as well as 72 countries worldwide. And Sartori’s Parmesan does look very different from contemporary Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano. It’s smaller, with that black rind. It also appears to have a different texture.

I just bought some Sartori parm for the weekend. Then I stumbled upon this article.

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Radioactive Shrimp!

FDA is actively investigating reports of Cesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination in shipping containers and frozen shrimp products processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (doing business as BMS Foods) of Indonesia. FDA Advises Public Not to Eat, Sell, or Serve Certain Imported Frozen Shrimp from an Indonesian Firm – https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-advises-public-not-eat-sell-or-serve-certain-imported-frozen-shrimp-indonesian-firm

Yikes.

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