Tuesday "Try"... Okra

Okra

A friend gave me some okra from her garden last year and I have to say I'd never really eaten fresh okra before then, and only knew of the slimy stories that come along when someone mentions the word "Okra." So when I was at the farmers market this past Saturday, I saw this okra and it was so beautiful AND organic. Okra is typically green but don't be afraid to try the same food in a different color. I just bought a few to play with and try something new with it ( now that I have fond memories of eating okra). I found a simple recipe... Just wash and cut the okra in slices.

Then cook some onion, diced fresh garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes in oil ( I used some homemade beef broth I'd just made a few days ago. More about that in another post to come) until slightly done.

Then put the sliced okra in with the onion mix and continue to cook until the okra in tender as you like it. I left it slightly undercooked. I didn't want it to be to mushy. It was really really good. A nice summery side dish to add to any meal. I can see where this dish could have a lot of different spices added to it, depending on what you were pairing it with. Don't be afraid to play with your food!

If you would like help reading labels, shopping and/or making meal planning easy contact me athttp://www.wholefood-living.com/contact.html

Thursday 3 "Tips" to cut down on sugar...

Sugar and spice and everything nice, that's the feeling "sugar" brings to mind.

Sugar is not our enemy, and in moderation it can be our friend. Take a moment to read the ingredient labels on some of the food sitting on your pantry shelves, cabinets and in your refrigerator. Look beyond the obvious bag of cookies or can of soda, and check out the salad dressing, ketchup, peanut butter, yogurt, crackers, lunch meat, pickles, non dairy milk, creamer, cereal, bread, even gum, just to name a few. There is sugar everywhere (even in your medicines) and under many names besides the spelling, S-U-G-A-R.

To help bring awareness to how much sugar may be lurking in your food, here is just some of the other names that sugar can be found on your ingredients labels:

*high fructose corn syrup

*sucrose,

*glucose

*fructose

*lactose

*maltose

*dextrose

*honey

*corn syrup

*invert sugar

*invert sugar syrup

*molasses

*brown sugar

*evaporated cane juice

*dehydrated fruit juice

*corn sweetener

*fruit juice concentrate

*malt syrup

*raw sugar

*turbinado sugar

*sorghum syrup

*refiner's syrup

*beet syrup

*glucose syrup

*barbado's sugar

*muscovado sugar

*beet sugar

*carob syrup

*table sugar

*malt

*buttered sugar

*maple syrup

*rice syrup

*agave nectar or syrup

*powdered sugar

*corn syrup solids

*organic raw sugar

*golden sugar

*date sugar

*castor sugar

*golden sugar

*raisin sugar

*d-mannose

*sorbose

*galactose

*xylitol

*sorbitol

Don't let this list leave you discouraged, it's about bring awareness to the food we eat. So the next time you go to the grocery store try these 3 tips to help you start to cut down on some of the sugar consumed without even knowing it.

One

Read the label on that product your about to put in your cart to feed yourself and your family. Look to see if there is a another product comparable in price, that has less sugar with a similar serving size. 

Example -  if the product label reads 8 gram of sugar for 1/2 cup serving size

look for:

                  4 gram of sugar for 1/2 cup serving size

* or look for a label that may read " no sugar added" 

Two

When making a recipe that calls for sugar put less of the sugar then it requires. I do this all the time and I have rarely ever noticed a difference. And general speaking it doesn't usual effect the texture of consistency of the recipe.

Three

Start doing half and half with your food or drink.

Example - mix 1 pack of instant oatmeal (with 12 gram sugar) with 1 no sugar pack of instant oatmeal.

or

                 mix a bowl of yogurt (with 19 gram sugar) with a bowl of no or low sugar yogurt.

You will find over time that your palette will adjust to the taste of less sugar and you will wonder how you even use to eat so much.

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