When people think okra. They might think Gumbo. I don’t. I have never cared for Gumbo. I’d order fried okra on occasion and never thought of it as a vegetable I liked unless it was fried with the breading coating all around it. It wasn’t until I was doing a food demo at the Farmers Market this summer that I realized I liked okra, not just fried okra, but Grilled Okra!! (PS. My kids did eat it grilled, although prefer the Okra Fingers below.)
Teaching kids about nutrition and how to prepare foods, ends up being a constant learning experience for myself too. It works both ways. It’s a beautiful thing, huh?
So, if you want to find out what we did when we grilled okra (with one option being a honey & lime sauce), visit the Fourth of July Post! For now, I’m going to share some nutrition facts about okra!
While it’s low in calories, its loaded with fiber! The mucilaginous content in okra pods helps aide in digestion and prevents constipation. To avoid the slimy factor that can happen with longer cooking methods, grilling is a great option. High heat stir-frying, grilling, or pan fry are all good ways to cook the okra and keep it crisp and less-gooey inside.
Okra is a power-house for other nutrients like Vitamin B6 and Folate, Vitamin A, anti-oxidants and more!
A recipe is below for Okra Fingers – which are pan fried in healthy oil and a whole grain breading. Gluten Free.
[yumprint-recipe id=’26’]
