Southern Living Recipe...Using Donahue Garden Okra

It turned out fabulous! Super simple. We served it with a side of oven roasted red potatoes and grilled corn on the cob. Check out September's Southern Living for the Shrimp and Okra Skillet recipe.

 

Sweet End to the Summer

 

While the temperatures are sure to stick in the high ninety's with a thousand percent humidity for at least another month, I would still like to think of September as they official passage into Fall here in south Florida. I am welcoming it with open arms and sweet treats. I tend not to be much of a "sweets" kinda gal, but for the last week I have been wanting desserts almost every day. And so throughout the Fall, I plan to attempt lots of sweet goodies that are both comforting, gluten free and healthier than the average cupcake. My first attempt was a gluten free peach cobbler. It was rather good and super easy since I had gluten free biscuit mix on hand. I am not versed enough in gluten free baking to attempt a flour mix of my own yet but maybe one day.

I bought some peaches, sliced them, left the skin on and decided to put an adult spin on the cobbler by soaking them in agave nectar, cinnamon and whiskey for a few hours prior to baking the dish. When they were ready, I made the GF biscuit mix according to the package (used butter on this one but almond milk as the liquid) then I added cinnamon, nutmeg and clove to the batter. I greased my pan, poured in the peaches and whiskey juice and laid dollops of the biscuit mix on top. I then baked it for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. I let it cool for about 15 minutes before serving but I still wanted it to be warm. The first night Ryan and I enjoyed it by itself but the second night we paired it with homemade dairy free banana ice cream and it was even better. Next time I make this I will use less of the biscuit mix and possibley more peaches.

Make Up Free Me

It's liberating when you decide that you don't "need" makeup to go outside. I wonder when it became status quo to feel like prior to being presentable to the world you have to slap on foundation to cover up blemishes and minimize freckles; eye liner, eye shadow and mascara to accentuate your already beautiful eyes; blush to make you appear flushed and rosy (does anyone know how that came about? I do and it makes me blush just thinking about it); lipstick to make your lips look better. Ask your husbands, partners, and friends if they really care what you slap on your face. I bet nine times out of ten they prefer a fresh faced lady than one concealed with chemicals. I have never been one to wear a great deal of makeup but I have to admit I was in the habit of feeling it necessary to at least give the face a once over with powder and make my eyes "pop" with eye liner and eyeshadow. During this cleanse I decided to clean up my beauty routine and let my skin breathe. I tossed outdated makeup and made a vow to replace it with chemical free, natural products only. In the meantime, I have not put on one bit of makeup for the last ten days. And while it felt pretty weird at first, I am glad I confronted the akwardness of once again feeling comfortable in my own skin. I can't say I won't wear makeup again, but I do know that when I do, it will be my choice, for fun, and not part of a "beauty routine" or standard dictated by the outside world.

OH MA OKRA...

Yesterday, Ryan and I decided we have no problem turning a profit on okra, even in the summer heat. Three plants, five to six feet tall and we have had at least 40 okra already and so much more on the way I cannot even keep up with it. Generally we like to give excess produce away, but in the case of okra, there are not many takers. It's not really something my Mom liked to fix us growing up and given the snotty, slimy properties it displays as soon as you cut or bite into it, I don't exactly blame her. But in this case I am determined to acquire a taste for it, not only because it is hands down the lowest maintenance crop I have ever grown (and one of the only that not just survives Florida August but thrives in it), but because it is loaded with tons of nutritional benefits, one of which comes from it's off-putting slime. The mucilaginous property in this pod is excellent for your detoxification system. It slimes up those intestines real good and helps with the movement of the bowels (peristalsis to be technical), carrying that nasty waste right to it's toilet bowl death. By the way a little fry action might help the okra go down but it destroys the benefits described in the previous sentence, so take it easy on the fry daddy and oil, peeps. Okra is also low in calories and high in good fiber (another BM plus). As if there needs to be any more benefits, the mini slimer pod also contains decent amounts of Vitamins A (skin, mucous membrane health and vision), B (energy plus SO much more), C (immunity...baby) and K (essential blood clotting and bone strength). So what, you may ask, are you going to do with all of this okra, Randi? To which my response is ask not what okra can do with you, but what you can do with okra? Pickle it, freeze it, grill it (thanks Paiger), saute it, eat it fresh, your choice. Since I happen to be on a bit of a picky diet at this time, so far I have frozen and pickled it. When I am done with my cleanse I found a great recipe for okra and shrimp that I am dying to try.

Harvesting Okra 

This is important folks. You must stay on top of harvesting these suckers. Once they get too big the are NO GOOD TO EAT. You might as well be gnawing on a piece of wood if you let these sit on the plant to long. You will know they are only good for seed saving when the ridges start to sink in. Ideally you will want to pick them when they are 2-4 inches long. Mine are growing so fast I let them go to 4-5 inches. Also, it is best to wear gloves when messing with these plants as the leaves are VERY irritating. If you look really close you will see each leaf contains thousands of prickly little spikes. I am guessing this is why they are so bug resistant. Another plus of the okra plant are these beautiful flowers that are only open for a short period of time during the day.

PICKLING OKRA



In hindsight, I could have packed these better.



EASY BREEZY. Pick your pods. Wash them and drain them, if they are small enough to leave whole and fit in the jar then just take a sharp knife and cut a 1/4 inch of each end. If you prefer you can slice them and pickle them that way.

 After jars and lids are sterilize pack them with your okra and a couple of cloves of garlic. Boil water, salt, vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar) and any other pickling spices you prefer (I used hot peppers, dill seed and mustard seed) for a couple of minutes, then funnel into jars.

Boil in water bath for 10 minutes to seal. Wait a couple of weeks, then enjoy!

FREEZING OKRA

Freezing okra is best when you blanch them first. So take your pods and wash them. Then cut off top stem, being careful not to break the seed pod (slime). Start a pot of water to boil and while you are waiting get ready with a colander and a ice water bath. Once the water is boiling add your okra and let boil for 3-4 minutes (no longer). Strain okra of hot water then immediately submerge in ice bath to stop them from over cooking. Let sit in the ice bath for a couple of minutes until they are cold to the touch. Strain again and lay out to dry a little. I like to place them on a baking sheet to pre-freeze so they don't end up in one giant frozen clump but you could skip this step. Place blanched okra in a freezer bag and get as much air out as you possibly can (use a food saver if you have one). Place in the freezer. Whala!

A Compliment of Action

I tend to lose myself in a world of jealousy when I scour the Internet finding people doing the things I want to be doing. As Ryan and I sat last night reviewing one of those such sites, I boiled with jealousy, stating "ugh, that was the idea I had" and "I should have done it by now" and with the last of the pity party that Ryan could handle: "I just need to find a different way to do it," he busted out with "you do have a different way to do it, you have YOU!" Silence. WOW, I thought to myself, he has a point. And I thanked him for the compliment (not sure if he knew it was a compliment at the time). The ramifications of that compliment became a mission to figure out not what I want to do but rather what's holding me back from doing it. And with a little more thought it seems my procrastination for pursuing those dreams has nothing to do with the actual work to get there or the fact that maybe it has, in a simple sense, been done before. It has nothing to do with how much money it will cost or who will agree or disagree with my decision. People are not holding me back, my brain is holding me back. Every single one of us is a different person and lives life differently. No matter what I do it will not be the SAME as anything else and I am thankful for that.
Last night my partner in life (and crime) unknowingly snapped me right back to reality while simultaneously shooting my confidence through the roof. He did not outwardly translate or expound on that one line, but he didn't have to. It was a compliment and a call to action all in one and it was just enough to jolt me into a very valid and real voice,  speaking just the words I needed to hear, and will continue to repeat over and over in my head. I AM ENOUGH. I AM THE DIFFERENCE. I urge you to do the same when you find yourself feeling stuck or jealous in a very saturated world.

Garden Update

Book Review: The Why Cafe?

So take the focus off food and libation and where do I end up? Doing a great deal of self reflection, yoga and reading! So far my cleanse has made it to day 7 and I have had some ups and downs but nothing extreme or all that bad. I feel light and rested for the most part. While slightly bored in the physical consumption department, my brain seems to be full of flavorful sustenance made so by my latest read, The Why Cafe by John P. Strelecky. This is a simple, short read, chalked full of great content and food for the conscience.The book is a fictional account of a very profound journey of a man finding his "Purpose For Existence," something I believe everyone in modern day society could benefit from. Through the course of the book the man, who happens to be lost on his way to get away and "recharge his batteries," is asked to ponder three thought provoking and life changing questions. As I breezed through all 49 pages, I found myself unconsciously becoming the main character and really going through these questions in my own head. The cool part is there is no crazy plot, very little character description, and virtually NO action involved in this book and yet it is hard to put down. And now that I am finished I am having a hard time getting the questions out of my own head, determined to answer them to the best of my ability. This is definitely a book I feel I will make my children read during their teenage years but would recommend for anyone in the mood for some self-reflection.

For the next 20 days I am a "Detox Diva"

 Yesterday I started my first ever detox program. The pre-conceived notion is that "detox" directly relates to breaking a dangerous addiction to drugs or alcohol, even sex and gambling. While this may be true to an extent, for me, the purpose of detoxifying is to rid my body and mind of toxic build up and reset it's ability to fend for itself the way it was designed to do. I believe every single person can benefit from it. There is no question that the human body is an amazing, complex, 24 hour working machine but the truth is most of us abuse the hell out of it starting in childhood. We ignore it's call for maintenance until we reach the point of chronic pain and disease. The abuse is not always a conscience decision. In modern society we are bombarded by toxins from the soap used to clean (supposedly) ourselves, to the air that we breathe to the food we consume. Sometime we are even told that these toxins are there to help or cure the symptoms such as in the case of prescription drugs. Is exposure to toxins completely avoidable? Not so much and you shouldn't stress too much about doing so. Sometimes it's even welcome (a bowl of ice cream on a summer day, a glass of wine with girlfriends, etc). But is it possible for us to partner with this amazing mind/body machine to keep it working at optimal efficiency for the duration of our lives? Absolutely. I mean we have no problem giving our cars' oil changes, tire rotations, and details. Doesn't it just make sense to give our 24 hour machine a deep clean every now and than as well?

I am a very "healthy" eater and have been since high school (with a brief break during college). For the last 8 months, I have exercised, drank tons of water, juiced and eaten gluten-free on a regular basis. For the last 3 months I have been on a plant based diet with little to no meat. For the last month I have cut down on my dairy to the point of extinction (well almost). It wasn't until I got my school required reading which included a copy of "Clean" by Dr. Alejandro Junger that I realized all of these diet changes are helping in daily maintenance but just aren't enough to reset my body from all of the damage done by other unconscious toxins such as years of exposure to oral contraceptives, antibiotics, alcohol, chemical laden cleaners, mattresses, clothing, pesticides and just plain crappy foods. And while my problems may be minimal in comparison to others, they are chronic and that is reason enough to want to give detoxing a shot. I am also in the child-bearing stages of my life and while I am not pregnant now, what better way to prep my body for 9 months of care and nourishment of a growing baby than to rid myself of toxins that could and most likely would be passed on.  

This detox program is not for those with little will power. It's no joke and it takes dedication. But if the end result is all it's cracked up to be, 21 days of no alcohol, dairy, or gluten and minimal sugar intake, is going to be well worth clear skin, whiter whites in my eyes, clearer focus, less tummy trouble, hormonal regulation, better sleep and boundless energy. I have read about many detox diets and some involve intense fasting or juice only. I wasn't into that. I have to chew at least some of my food. I have to feel satisfied. I refuse for people to hear a constant rumble of hunger in my tummy. I don't want to be mad and cranky all of the time. Weight-loss is not one of my goals so there will be no skimping on calories. This program focuses on fresh foods, smoothies, soups and juices. You have a liquid breakfast, a big fresh lunch, a liquid dinner and snack on tart fruits, raw nuts and raw veggies all day if you want. The goal is to leave 12 hours in between your last smoothie, juice or soup of the day and your first smoothie, juice or soup of the morning. Drink tons of water. Consume ZERO alcohol and little to no caffeine. Exercise, meditate, and skin brush every day. Journal everything. Get massages if you want. Use steam rooms and saunas to speed things along. Best of all...make it work for you and your schedule. It is also broken down into week by week. Dr. Junger's take is simple and guilt free. Do it for 7 days, if you feel good and want to continue, do it for 7 more and for the ultimate results do it for 21 days. His hope is that somewhere along the way you will feel your best and at the end of the 21 days you will not instantly return to a toxic daily existence (my words not his) but will have picked up good habits and have felt what it is like to feel good in all aspects of your being. 

While intimidated that I may not make it 21 days without a glass of red wine, that my social life will go to crap, that my marriage will suffer and that I will lose my mind (not really), I am psyched to go through the process. While I am strongly focused on the end result, I realize that the process will be a very important part of the detox. My results may not be extreme but if it allows me to bring a little more conciseness to my life, body and mind, than I shall prevail in becoming "Clean." I am also a true proponent that sometimes people aren't into "fake it till you make it." I want to be able to coach future clients through their own detox. How can I do that if I do not know what it feels like? And so on day two I feel good, I feel hopeful and I can tell you that it's been over 24 hours and I have not felt hungry, mentally or physically, once. I plan to document every part of this program and am excited to share results with you. I am also fortunate to have a team to do this with. My Mom and Dad are both taking the "Clean" challenge.
*My post is strictly an intro/outline of this program. If you are interested in doing it, purchase the book, read it and follow directions. It is important to note that there are people who may be at risk by doing this program depending on the situation. THANKS!

Silence and Candlelight

This morning I was awoken by a bang and then silence. COMPLETE SILENCE. The power was out. My actual alarm (cell phone) was approximately ten minutes from annoying me so up and Adam I was. It was still pretty dark at 6:15, the sun was just beginning to pop up although there was rain in the air and clouds filled the sky. The house was dark enough that I needed to light candles to make my morning rounds and get myself ready. I didn't mind the candlelight or the silence, in fact I welcomed it. What I realized as I showered with the window open and a candle flickering in the bathroom was that most Americans don't know what true silence is. As I type right now, the power is back on, I do not have the TV on, it is me and the pups and if I stop and make myself aware I still hear the following:

• my computer fan
• the freezer fan and ice maker
• the kegorator fan
• the low voltage lights
• the clicking of the keys on my keyboard
• the dogs licking/breathing
• my phone dinging from a text message
• the air conditioning

Again this "noise" does not include the TV which I am sure hundreds of thousands of Americans have on right now. It seems that in our "over powered" lifestyles the only chance we get for silence is camping in the woods somewhere far, and not many people do that anymore. Do most of our children even know what silence is? How does this affect our brain function, our hearing, our ability to listen to nature and ourselves?
As I continued to get ready in the bathroom by candlelight, I had a second realization of how darn reliant we are on light bulbs and other fake lighting. Yes, it was indeed a FABULOUS invention, that I myself could not live without but we have no clue what complete darkness is in our daily lives. It used to be that you went to bed with the sun and woke up with the sun. Now we set alarm clocks, cell phones and wake up calls to drag ourselves out of sound sleep and get moving. Or we stay up into the wee hours of the night stimulating ourselves with TV and computers. And when we lay ourselves in our beds and turn off the "lights" we rely on the green light of the clock to constantly remind us that we only have 6 hours until we have to be up. It's strange to me that although I could not imagine life without noise and light bulbs, starting one morning with silence and candles made for a pretty awesome rest of the day! Enough to make me want to do it again. Oh and by the way, everyone looks good when getting ready by candlelight.

Easy Breezy Pasta Surprise (gluten-free & vegan)

Yesterday I had more dental work done than I care to admit and when I got home the last thing I wanted to do was put my sore jaw and numb lips to work. Dinner was not going to make itself so it's a good thing I had planned for an easy meal. I have been wanting to take advantage of my new cookbook and so this recipe was inspired by Isa's Tratorria Pasta Salad with White Beans. I say inspired because I was just not in the mood for a cold salad nor did I want to follow all of the steps. Isa-thank you for the ingredients. I added a few, and subtracted a few based on what I had on hand and it was still delish. This was also the first meal that I was able to test out my latest Richard's bulk purchase of Nutritional Yeast (B-Vitamins Galore) and I have to say, those of you who think being a vegan means giving up creamy, cheesy pasta you are wrong-o! 

Easy Breezy Pasta Surprise

1/2 red (or white) onion, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 jar of capers w/juice (optional)

1 can of Great Northern white beans (drained, rinsed and slightly soaked)

2 Roma tomatoes, cut for food processor

a handful of basil

1/2 of a jar of chopped Kalamata olives (black would work too)
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, whole
1/2 jar of roasted red peppers
3 spoonfuls of sun dried tomato paste OR hydrated sun dried tomatoes

1 box of quinoa shell pasta

A couple of handfuls of arugula
Salt and Pepper to taste
Ground or dried Oregano

A pinch of Marjoram

3-4 tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast

A handful of self-toasted walnuts for topping

Olive oil for sauce and saute

Sauce

In a small food processor combine Roma tomatoes, basil, sun-dried tomato paste, a couple swings of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Pulse to read desired consistency. Set aside.

Pasta

Cook pasta according to directions, rinse and set aside. Coat bottom of saute pan with olive oil, heat on medium then add shallot, onion, and garlic. Saute until fragrant and onions soft. Add pasta and rest of ingredients (except arugula and walnuts) including sauce. Toss until coated, creamy and hot. Turn off burner and add arugula.Toss until slightly wilted. Portion into bowls, top with toasted walnuts (pine nuts would be good too). Serve immediately. Savor and enjoy!