Okra pops in on pumpkin season

Okra pops in on pumpkin season

 

Okra taught me a couple of new tricks this week. A gardener snipped a little pod off the plant and handed to me. You can eat this very southern food raw. On the spot. 

I took it home so my best knife could cut it into sections. I loved it, as is. With vinaigrette it was over the top, crunchy, wholesome goodness. I asked gardener friends if they ate theirs raw. Some were skeptical. One asked how it tasted and I came up with “green and fresh with the essence of crunch.”

Another friend shared a video of how to eat the leaves fresh or bit sauteed. Another success.

Of course this raw experience was with a young, tender growth. If this gardener keeps some on the vine, the okra may end up in gumbo, stuffed peppers, a tomato dish or some rice concoction. 

There's your tip. Now, find an okra plant and get your snack. 

 

 

Granola Memories - Remember making hippie granola in the '70s? You'd toast your seeds and oats and drizzle honey? So good. Nostalgic? Good. Now go ahead and let Alter Eco toast it for you. 

If you've been grabbing overprocessed supermarket bars with the notion that you're doing it all wrong, you might be. Get back to the basics with Dark Chocolate Organic Granola, Cashew Butter and Cinnamon Raisin. It's the best. Sweet, crunchy heaven. I didn't even bother with milk. It's great from the bag, over yogurt or cottage cheese or blended banana. www.alterecofoods.com will connect you to some amazing dark, dark choclates in a variety of flavors. Tropical Fruit Roll Mango is both crunchy and chewy and hard to share. Read how the company works to restore ecosystems and snack on! 

 

Pumpkin Spice Watch – Readers, we’ve been sharing our pumpkin spice season finds over the years and the trend is still strong. Crave it or hate it, it has to make you smile. I love Dawn soap products and just about fell out in the aisle when I saw seasonal versions of Dawn Platinum Plus Powerwash Dish spray. I love the cleaning power. I was going for lemon scent when I noticed there were pumpkin, cranberry and pine versions. No joke. You can see it on shelves for yourself, unless someone has snapped them all up. I stuck with lemon.

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie falling for the flavors of this season. Share with her via panews@panews.com.