Happy Leap Day!
First, if you haven’t heard about this week’s giveaway, go here.
Second, I read this article in USA Today and thought I’d pass it along. It describes how fewer children’s books are set in nature and how that is emblematic of other trends (ie. our increasing distance from the natural world, like animals and trees, rivers, and lakes). This distancing is important, since children who don’t grow up in nature or loving nature, will be less inclined to care for the environment as adults.
I know it’s important for kids to spend time out of doors as much as possible, and research is showing that the current trends aren’t in our children’s best interest. So read the article, especially if you have kids!
Third, as part of the changes coming up to the blog, I’ll be moving my site to WordPress. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you up to date on the changes, and anticipate that the new site will be up and running by the end of March, beginning of April. I can’t wait, it’s going to be good!
On to the post topic.
I’ve been much shorter on time this week since my husband is away taking the Bar exam and isn’t here to do all that he does to help with the kids and meals (he’s amazing that way), so I’ve been making my food with ultra-efficiency. I’ve also been eating foods that my husband hates (this would be one great example of foods he would never touch).
Here’s something I made today. Took less than 5 minutes.
Yes, I know some people will never love okra (just as some people will never love mushrooms, that’s okay). If you’re an okra hater, you can still keep reading, I’m not offended. [If you like okra, you might want to also check out this recipe.]
It does have a distinct texture (and some don’t like the “slimyness” of it), but think of all those southerners gobbling it up (sure, it’s more often than not deep-fried in a vat of oil, but we’re not going to focus on that).
Okra, is super satisfying in terms of a vegetable. Like a tomato, it comes in an interesting package that gives soups and stews a tremendous amount of variety and texture. I’ll be honest, I haven’t gotten my kids or husband to be crazy about okra yet, but I love the stuff and wanted to share a quick meal that I often throw together when I want something light on calories, filling, and uber-nutrient rich.
About 1 cup of okra is only 30 calories, contains 81 mg of calcium (8% of your RDA) and 3 grams of fiber. It also has a good amount of protein, folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K.
I always buy mine chopped and frozen, thus it is already to go, making my life easier. No washing, no spoilage, and no chopping. Simply dump and cook. Cooks in less than 3 minutes.
To cook, boil about a cup of water. Throw in your okra and turn to medium and let simmer for 3-4 minutes, then drain. No need to go longer than that because you don’t want to overcook them (nothing like mushy veggies, yuck!).
A favorite way to okra is with one can of organic diced tomatoes (I say organic, because I happen to know Costco sells some for a great price!). So take about 3 cups cooked okra, one can diced tomatoes, and serve over one package of shiritaki noodles. I season with ample amounts Louisiana hot sauce, several dashes of Mrs. Dash seasoning (orginal), and 1/2 tsp. cumin.
Shiritaki noodles are very low in calories (about 20 calories per cup), since they are made from tofu and yam root, making them a great alternative to your average flour pasta if you’re wanting to trim some calories (I ate these all the time when I lost my baby weight!). They come in a variety of shapes and textures. My favorite are the fettuccine and angel hair noodles.
To cook, simply drain from package in a strainer, put noodles in a bowl, and microwave for 60 seconds (or drain, then boil for 1-2 minutes, drain). A little pricey (I can buy some at my natural foods store for $1.50 on sale). One package contains two servings. These aren’t for my kids though, these are for me (!) so I can justify the expense and trim back elsewhere.
[For dessert, I made this.]
Question of the day:
What foods do you like that everyone in your family hates, but you wish you could eat more of?
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