Lady finger

What is green, likes a little southern heat, and is also known as lady finger?  It is often fried in the South, but tastes FABULOUS baked, sautéed, or thrown in soups and stews!

Okra!  It grows best in warm weather, but can be enjoyed all year long.  It is a vegetable with a high content of fiber, vitamin A, folates (great for those ladies who are pregnant), vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin K, iron, calcium, manganese, and magnesium.  Whoa- that is a mouth full of stuff that does a body good! 

Bake it, don't fry!

No need to fry that okra to get it tasty.  Try baking it!  I like to cut up okra and place on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle a little olive oil, & then sprinkle sea salt.  Sometimes I will experiment with other spices too (like lemon pepper).  Then, I stick it in the oven for about 15 minutes at 425 degrees.  I like it slightly crispy so may leave it in longer if it isn't quite there yet.

A few storing tips:

• Do not wash until ready to use (otherwise it will get overly slimy)
• Use within 2 to 3 days
• Store in the warmest part of the fridge in a paper bag

Other quick recipe ideas I found:

• Stewed okra and tomatoes: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/stewed_okra_tomatoes.html
• Hot & sour okra pickles: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/hot_sour_pickled_okra.html
• Grilled okra: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grilled-Okra/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=okra&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

Eat well,
Bri

Nutty Bites: Cashews

Disclaimer: Nutty Bites is where I talk about healthy food items with funny, "nutty" names.  I will throw them into the blog every once in awhile... got a "nutty" food item you want mentioned?  Email suggestions to me at BriTexas@gmail.com.

Of course I had to include a nut in the “Nutty Bites”... so we will start with cashews. 

Cashhhheeeeww!   If you say it slowly, it almost sounds like a sneeze.  I regret to admit that people often stay away from nuts.  This is not because they sound like sneezes or have funny names, but because they are high in fat.  BUT, I know that all of you know fat is not to be feared.  Am I right?!  The unsaturated fats are the fats to shake hands with, while the saturated and trans-fats are the ones to slap in the face.  

Want a random fact regarding cashews?  Of course you do.  Cashews are the kidney-shaped seeds that you find on the bottom of a cashew apple, the fruit from the cashew tree, which are often found in Brazil.  The nut tastes good, is full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, blood pressure lowering magnesium, and antioxidant-rich copper.  Cashews are great as a snack so pair a handful with an apple to curb the afternoon munchies!  

Eat well,
Bri