Okra: Nobody likes me.
Lentil: I do. You were one of my momma’s most savory side dishes.
Okra: But you’re from Texas. Everyone else thinks I’m a slimy hick.
Lentil: Well don’t just stew about it. Embrace your slime. Own it!
Okra: I do have this song...
Lentil: Sing it, Okra. Sing it!
© 2012 Adair Seldon
1 small onion, diced
1 medium pepper, diced (I used yellow for color, but the traditional is green)
1 ½ - 2 stalks of celery, sliced
3/4 lb okra, sliced
14 oz. can of stewed or diced tomatoes*
1 tsp brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Sautée onions until a little brown. Add pepper and celery. Sautee 5 - 7 more minutes. Add okra and sautée 5 more minutes. Add tomatoes and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. Add salt, pepper and brown sugar, and cook until okra and celery are fork-tender done but not mushy. Adjust seasonings if necessary and serve.
*I used Muir Glen Organic Fire-roasted Diced Tomatoes.
Lentil’s Breakdown
Canned tomatoes giving you the BPA blues? With their high acid content, they’re one of the worst offenders for Bisphenol A exposure—a known endocrine disruptor. The majority of canned goods in the U.S. are still sealed with resin that contains BPA to prevent contamination and spoiling, but some manufacturers like Muir Glen and Trader Joe’s are going BPA-free. If the can is white inside, it’s got a BPA lining; a bright golden color inside means it’s BPA-free.
Related Link:
I L O V E okra, even though I am not from Texas! :-)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite dish is southern-fried okra, but I like them any which way they are prepared.
Thank you for the information about BPA in canned goods!
Love your okra song!
ReplyDeleteI've been avoiding canned tomatoes all together and buying glass jars, from Italy no less. Cost Plus has Mutti brand and I find others at many "international" grocery stores around LA.
Hi Merisi, you're welcome about the BPA. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Chrisina: I don't use a lot of canned tomatoes, but since I did a little research for this, I am really going to try to avoid BPA in general. Here are a few helpful links I found:
BPA-free Canned Food Options:
http://guide.thesoftlanding.com/bpa-free-canned-food-options/
A list of cans with BPA:
http://www.inspirationgreen.com/bpa-lined-cans.html
Props for rhyming "tomaters" with "haters."
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that's a poetry first!
Don't forget pickled. GREG
ReplyDeleteI want to know what tune I should sing this to, although I tried it with a rap rhythm and that worked also. So clever.
ReplyDeleteHate Okra. LOVE your song!
ReplyDeleteYou never cease to amaze me. As an okra fan, I applaud your efforts. And your lyrical ability!
ReplyDeleteI have a problem with the slime in okra. Your song is hilarious!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE okra, and I'm always taken aback when I hear people say they hate it (Dorothy!)-but then -you know- I'm from Louisiana. I do know this. If you cook it to death, like we Southerners do, it eventually loses its slime, but not its unique flavor.
ReplyDeleteI can get down on some okra too. Thanks for a great post. Miss you. Let's catch up soon.
ReplyDeletelove your song. You need to start uploading youtube videos. I do hate okra...one day, i will be open minded. I really really really really appreciate your BPA note at the end. I had NO IDEA. Now i'm going to inspect my pantry. Actually your note has me freaking out a bit b/c i rely on canned tomatoes so much. FREAKING OUT. i'm blaming any current or future medical condition on this. for sure.
ReplyDelete