The other night and lately I've been craving soul food. Good southern style cooking and I created a great fried green tomato recipe I thought I'd share. If anyone else has others such as collard greens etc please feel free to post!


1-2 green tomatos, depending on how many people.

Mix Ener G egg replaced with water untill it is a batter like consistency.

enough cornmeal to cover each slice.

1-2 tablespoons or so ( I eyeballed it) of canola or vegetable oil in frying pan.

Slice tomato's about half to quarter inch thick. Think the thinner the slice the faster the tomato will fry.

dip each side in egg replacer, then in cornmeal and fry for 5-10
min in untill golden brown.

use a paper towel to get off the excess oil, serve with turbindo sugar, or salt and pepper!

I eat collard greens all of the time, and although this might sound too simple, the use of a pressure cooker really makes a difference in their taste and texture.

Just cut collards into ribbons, and put in cooker on a rack with about 1/2 inch water. Bring to max pressure and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes and quick release the pressure. Eat them with salt, pepper, and lots of hot sauce.

We also like these black eyed peas I adapted from Lorna Sass' Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure.

Spicy Black Eyed Peas

1 t oil
1 cup dried black eyed peas
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion. chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
Pinch of nutmeg
1 T balsamic vinegar
A dab of adobo from a can of chipotle chilies (or a small piece of the chili itself)
Salt and pepper

Saute the onions, garlic, celery, and bell pepper in the oil in a pressure cooker pot. When softened ad the peas and herbs; cook for about 1 minute. Add enough water to cover the peas, lock the lid in place. Bring to max pressure and cook for about 20 minutes. Quick release the pressure and add the salt, vinegar, and abodo (or chili). Serve with dirty rice, collards and a ton of hot sauce.

I developed a vegan recipe for sweet potato pie a while back

2 sweet potatos
1/2 cup soy milk
1/4 cup soy flour
1/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 tsp cinamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Boil the potatos for 45 minuts or so. Then peel off the skin and mash them up. Mix all the ingredients together well. Pour into a pie shell and bake at 350 for an hour.

Looks like I will have to dig up my soul food vegetarian cook book I just bought, and share some recipes.

My brother-in-law, a vegan for over 20 years and also a proud native of "the great -- AH SAID the GREAT! state a Jawwwjah," (to use his own words), swears by the product "Liquid Smoke."

:chef: Brother'll cook up his collard greens using "pot likker" made on-purpose, by sauteeing pureed onions & garlic, skin & all (the skin creates an appetizing, bronzy color) in a high-heat-tolerant oil, and season them with Liquid Smoke. A little dab'll do ya, and he says it adds an authentic Deep South soul-flavor to vegan greens.

(My sis and I wouldn't know, being Yankees and all, but Brother's greens sure do taste fine.) ;)