Black-eyed pea & collard tacos

You may (or may not) have noticed that Robert and I are eating healthier than we used to.  Our goal is to eat more fruits and vegetables, and eat as least-processed as we can.  That means I am looking to new sources for recipes, and this vegan one from the Isa Does It cookbook fit the bill.   On paper this looks like an unusual combination - black-eyed peas, collard greens, and apple salsa??- but trust me, it works.  We loved it and will be making it again very soon!

BLACK-EYED PEA AND COLLARD TACOS

Yield: 8 tacos

Ingredients:

For the black-eyed peas-

2 tsp. olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

2 (15oz.) cans black-eyed peas, drained

1 cup vegetable broth

3 tbsp. of hot sauce (I used Sriacha)

For the greens-

1 tsp. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 lb. collard greens, washed, stems removed and torn into bite sized pieces

1 cup vegetable broth

1/4 tsp. salt

For the salsa-

1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced

1 large ripe avocado, diced
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
2 tbsp. lemon juice

Tortillas (soft-taco size)

Instructions

For the black-eyed peas-

Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium sauce pan. Cook the onion for about 3-5 minutes, until it softens. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin and salt, and cook for about a minute to toast the spices.

Add the black-eyed peas and stir to combine. Partially mash the black-eyed peas so there are still whole beans but not a puree. Stir in the broth and hot sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes- they should be creamy. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or hot sauce if needed. Cover and keep warm.

For the greens-
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan and sauté the garlic for about 15 seconds. Add the greens, broth and salt, and stir to combine. Cover the pan and let the greens cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For the salsa-
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Keep covered and chilled until ready to serve.

To assemble the tacos, warm the tortillas so they are soft and pliable.
Spoon some of the beans onto the tortilla, top with some of the greens, and a scoop of the salsa.