Soul food

I've been on a Southern food kick lately. There's something comforting in the cuisine. Maybe that's why it's called "soul food".

This recipe couldn't be any more Southern if it tried. Take a humble vegetable and cover it in mayonnaise and bacon.

My twist is to kick it up with something sweet and something crunchy. And, of course, it needs to be vegan, after all, I'm crazy, but not insane.

Items marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Taylor's Provisions, 208 S. Mill St., Tehachapi. You can also reach Taylor's at (661) 750-0390.

Southern Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

Salad: • 2 cups chopped raw broccoli florets • *1/3 cup golden raisins

• 1/3 cup vegan bacon • *1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

Sauce: • *1/3 cup vegan mayo (recipe available in store or in The Loop archives)

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar • 1 tablespoon sugar • 1 teaspoon celery seed • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions: 1. Mix all sauce ingredients and adjust flavor as desired. 2. Add sauce and all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. 3. Let sit for 30-minutes to combine flavors.