Cook the bacon: coat a large skillet with oil spray. Heat the skillet on medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, turning occasionally. When the bacon is cooked, place it on a plate with a paper towel to absorb the grease. When the bacon has cooled, crumble it into bite sized bits.
Sauté onions: drain excess grease from the skillet but leave a bit for flavor. Add the olive oil, heat on medium low. Add the onions, and sauté for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the bell pepper, and sauté for a few more minutes.
Add collard greens to the skillet, along with the broth, honey and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine with the onions, and cover the skillet. Simmer on medium low heat for 10 minutes.
Add the black-eyed peas to the skillet, along with the thyme, paprika and half of the crumbled bacon. Stir to combine with the greens. Cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, until the greens are tender.
Plate the black-eyed peas and collard greens. Top each serving with some of the remaining bacon bits. Enjoy!
Notes
Prepping collard greens: Cut the leaves off from the thick stems. The stems can be chopped fine and added to this dish, or saved for adding to a soup, stew, or stock.
Turkey bacon is an option for lower fat and calorie content, although you do lose a bit of flavor.
Classic Southern cooking or “soul food” would likely prepare a dish like this with a ham hock instead of bacon.