Southern Lunch – collards, black-eyed peas, corn bread pudding, candied purple yams

Collards greens- dry sauté 4-6 large diced onions with 3 large diced sweet peppers until caramelized (30-40 min). Add 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté 2 minutes more. Add splash of water scrape any caramelized onions off the pan and lightly salt to taste. Add 3 bunches of cleaned, raw chopped collard greens in batches. Once reduced, add lots of black pepper to taste, these are peppery greens. Cover and cook until tender and leaves turning a deeper green color. Serve with hot pepper relish or chow chow.

Black-eyed peas: starting from dried beans, soak overnight. Rinse and dump in a slow cooker, covering with water 1 inch above the beans. Add 5-7 hammer shakes of the following seasoning: garlic powder, smoked paprika, Cajun spice blend. Add some pinches of salt, stir, and cook on low heat 8 hours.

Corn bread pudding: preheat oven to 350. In a blender, add 12oz bag frozen sweet corn, handful of frozen cauliflower, 2 heaping tablespoons milled flaxseed, 1/2 cup silken tofu, and enough water to make a runny milkshake consistency. Add maple syrup and pinch of salt to taste. I like my cornbread sweet. Pour into a baking pan. Stir in another 12oz bag frozen sweet corn, 2 cups corn meal, and 2 small diced jalapeños. Bake for 1 hour uncovered or until middle is set.

Candied yams- in a pan, add large cut sweet potatoes, drizzle with maple syrup, sprinkle sugar, a bit of water to cover the bottom of the pan, and cinnamon to taste. Cover and cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally until tender.