food for thought.

For some reason I am feeling stressed out today, or more just unsettled. I don't really know what it is, but I guess we all have those days or moments where we feel a little disconnected. It is probably because I did not do yoga this morning and then was stressed out about a test. Anyways, doing something for someone else always makes me feel a little bit better and gives me something to use this busy energy on. I also try just spending time in the sun, working out or doing art, but the creative juices weren't flowing onto the paper today, so I turned them to the kitchen.

I love making my family healthy dinners, so I used all local produce that we had picked up from the farmers market. My dad like very hearty food, so I wanted to use the okra we had bought and make a heavy and hearty meat like dish.

"Hearty Okra"

I brought water almost to a boil, turned the water off, and basically blanched the okra quickly, just to warm them and soften them slightly.

Next I melted ghee in a pan with fresh chopped garlic

The pan is on as low as possible to keep most of the nutrients.

I then added the okra with:

nutritional yeast (lots!)

tbsp curry

a little sea salt

chopped up cayenne pepper from the garden

I wanted to make a very refreshing salad/garnish to go with this since it's so hot and this is absolutely perfect.

"Refreshing Corn Salad"

fresh chopped parsley

fresh corn off the cob (this is super sweet raw and so delicious)

tiny onions chopped

lime squeezed on top

a little pepper cracked on the top to finish it off

A little info on:

Ghee

It is used in indian food, and is actually "clarified" butter. I am a vegan and not really for dairy, but this is a great oil for cooking and has a wonderful flavor. It is actually lactose free and contains no hydrogenated oils or trans fats. It helps start the secretion of stomach acids to improve digestion and it is rich with antioxidants and acts as an aid in the absorption of vitamins and minerals from other foods, feeding all layers of body tissue and strengthening the immune system. It also keeps its chemical composition at high temperatures unlike other oils or butters and has anti viral properties that is said to reduce the risk of cancer.

Nutritional Yeast

It is loaded with B vitamins, including B12, folic acid, essential fatty acids, and 52% protein with important amino acids. This is great for vegans and vegetarians because it gives you a lot of the vitamins, specifically B12 that you may be missing, plus it tastes cheesy and yummy!