UGA researchers working on nutritious hush puppies

ATHENS - Nutritious hush puppies? <br> <br> Reseachers at the University of Georgia are using a West African snack to add nutrition to the Southern staple. <br> <br> University researchers have created the pea-puppy, a treat that consists mostly of a paste from black-eyed peas. <br> <br> The pea-puppy recipe incorporates a West African treat called ``akara,&#39;&#39; which have long been a favorite snack or breakfast food for residents of Ghana and Nigeria. <br> <br> The pea-puppy is a university project funded by a federal initiative that seeks to encourage Americans to eat more peas and beans. <br> <br> Pea-puppies have a much higher protein content than an ordinary cornmeal hush puppy. They are deep-fried in peanut oil. <br> <br> University officials hope the pea-puppy will be a hit with frozen-food and convenience store companies. <br> <br> But some Southerners question whether the pea-puppy could ever replace their beloved hush puppy at seafood restaurants and other eateries.