Latvian cuisine

Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi (grey peas with bacon)

Boiled grey peas with fried bacon and onion, traditionally with kefir.

Well-cooked hot dish

Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi (grey peas with bacon) — Latvian cuisine. Photograph of the dish.

Ingredients

Soaked peas are boiled for 1–1.5 hours until soft and topped with fried bacon and onion.

Cook meat right through: steaming hot inside, with no pink parts or pink juices.
Avoid dry-cured or cold-smoked sausage and ham with low immunity, or heat them in the dish until steaming.

The bacon must be fully fried. Use pasteurised kefir and discuss live cultures with your team. Peas can cause bloating — keep portions small.

Your diet during treatment is agreed with your doctor. Sample 7-day menu for the treatment period →

Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, and eat within 1–2 days. Divide large batches into small containers so they cool faster.

Once, until steaming hot all the way through; in a microwave, stir halfway.

Constipation. Fibre (pulses, vegetables, grains) may help with constipation — together with enough fluids.
Low appetite. Gives a lot of energy and protein in a small portion — can help when appetite is low.
Weight loss. Energy-dense and easy to enrich (oil, cheese, yoghurt) — can help with weight loss.

These are general observations: what suits you can change from day to day.

Phase notes are general. During low counts, follow only your care team’s food rules.

Stomach and gut. High in fibre. With bowel inflammation, diarrhoea or after bowel surgery, discuss suitability with your team.
Stomach and gut, Lung disease. Pulses or cabbage can cause wind and bloating; keep this in mind with digestive or lung conditions (bloating can make breathing harder).
Heart disease, Obesity, Liver disease, Stomach and gut. Can be fatty. With heart, liver or digestive disease, or excess weight, discuss fat content and portions with your team.
High blood pressure, Heart disease, Kidney disease. Often salty (stock, salty cheese, sausage, pickles). With high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, discuss salt limits with your team.
Heart disease, High blood pressure, Kidney disease. Contains processed meat (sausage, bacon, ham). With heart disease, high blood pressure or kidney disease, discuss it with your team.

Nutrition figures from a reliable source have not been added for this dish yet.

Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.