Cajun Cornbread Casserole

Ingredients

Base Layer

• 1 box diced tomatoes, undrained (25 oz or so)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, somewhere between chopped and minced
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

Cornbread

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Drain tomato juices into a skillet. Add water if necessary until a thin layer of liquid covers the skillet.
3. Chop the tomatoes into smaller pieces and set aside.
4. Sauté onion, celery, garlic and bell pepper over high heat until onion is translucent, bell pepper slices are tender, and all the water has evaporated, about 4 minutes.
5. Turn off heat and mix in the Cajun seasoning, tomatoes, and peas, stirring to combine. Set aside.
6. For the vegan cornbread: In a small mixing bowl, wisk cornmeal mix and sugar. Stir in almond milk and applesauce. It should be thick but spreadable, like hummus, and not dry.
7. For the regular cornbread: Mix the vinegar and milk and let it sit five minutes (as a buttermilk replacement). Whisk the dry ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients together. Stir the dry into the wet, just until mixed.
8. Pour pea mixture into your baking dish and pat down firmly with a spatula. Spread cornbread mixture on top and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cornbread is a deep golden, cracked, and firm to the touch. Allow to set out for 15 minutes before serving.

Vegan option adapted to our tastes from Everyday Happy Herbivore

Right at 1,000 calories for the entire casserole, for the vegan option.

Regular option adopted from Cat Cora's Southern cornbread recipe on foodnetwork.com