Black eyed peas with collard greens

1 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¼ cups dry black eyed peas (no need to soak)
4 cups vegetable broth
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 T soy sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 bundle collard greens, bulky stems removed, leaves chopped into bite-sized pieces


Press “Saute” on the Instant Pot. Once hot, add oil and onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender and translucent.
Add bell pepper and minced garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute, then press “Cancel.”

Add all remaining ingredients except collard greens and stir to combine. Then top with collard greens, but don’t stir (this helps keep the beans submerged in the liquid rather than some winding up on top of the greens).

Cover with lid, press “Pressure Cook,” and cook on high for 17 minutes. Allow to naturally release pressure for 15 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Coconut flour chocolate chip cookies

1/2 cup nut butter (peanut butter, sunbutter, or other)

2 T avocado oil

1/3-1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/3-1/2 cup chocolate chips

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2) Mix the nut butter, oil, and sugar with a whisk.  Add the eggs and vanilla continue to whisk.
Sprinkle the baking soda, cinnamon, and salt over the top and mix. Sprinkle in the coconut flour and mix. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.

3) With a small cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheet. With your fingers, lightly flatten the dough, as it will not spread during baking.

4) Bake for 7 minutes or until the cookies turn barely golden brown at the edges and feel lightly dry. They will be very soft.   Allow to cool.

Chana masala

1 T avocado oil
2 medium onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, minced
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
15-ounce can of diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup water
4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon salt
2 T lemon juice

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, cumin seeds, paprika and garam masala. Cook onion mixture with spiced for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Add the water and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice.

Pear bread with walnuts

4 large ripe pears

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup butter), melted and cooled

1/4 cup avocado oil

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 1⁄2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 3⁄4 cups flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

1⁄2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 to 2 tbsp sugar in the raw (optional)



1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8x8-inch pan with cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper.


2. Chop the pears into medium size chunks (no need to peel), then place them in a blender and puree until well blended.


3. Beat together the melted butter, oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla with a large whisk until well blended. Add the pear puree and mix until combined.  Add the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt and stir.  Then add the flour and mix just until combined. Add in the walnuts.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread out evenly with a spatula. Evenly sprinkle the top of the batter with the sugar in the raw. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick placed in the center of the bread comes out clean.

5. Allow the bread to cool for 20 minutes.