Let’s kick off this new series on seasonal eating with a delicious seasonal recipe for July – Okra Corn Sauté. This dish is great when paired with your choice of protein (I used grilled chicken) and starch such as rice. All fresh ingredients in this dish are in season through July meaning they are more flavorful and may be found at local farmer’s markets (depending on your location).
Seasonal eating not only allows us to enjoy fresh produce when it is most flavorful and cheapest, but it also can help us to support local farmers and lower our carbon footprint associated with food miles. Click here to read more about how to eat seasonally.
This seasonal recipe utilizes okra (also known as Lady’s Finger), a delicious slightly sweet plant native to West Africa and also related to cotton and hibiscus. Okra was originally introduced to the US during the slave trade and therefore has become popular in soul cooking of the South and is central to many Southern dishes such as gumbo. Okra is also enjoyed in many other cultures such as African, Turkish, Greek, Indian, Middle Eastern, South American, and Caribbean.
Okra is technically a fruit but is used as a vegetable when cooking. It is full of healthy nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamin C. Filled with tons of veggies, this dish is packed full of not only vitamin C but other antioxidants as well. Other antioxidants in this dish include lycopene (found in tomatoes) which is beneficial for heart health and lutein and zeaxanthin (found in the yellow corn and okra) which may help lower the risk of age-related eye diseases.
Ingredients
- Okra (1 lb fresh with ends trimmed and sliced into about 1/2 inch pieces – Can also substitute 1 bag of frozen sliced)
- 1 cup Corn, fresh sliced off the cob (about 2 cobs)
- 2 Beefsteak Tomatoes, diced
- 1 Yellow Onion, diced
- 3 cloves Garlic (about 1 tbsp minced)
- Fresh Parsley, coarsely chopped
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp oil of choice
Directions
- Start by heating a large skillet over medium-high heat and then heat oil in pan.
- Add in the okra, onion, and corn and sauté until tender (about 5 minutes).
- Stir in tomato and cook until just soft.
- Mix in garlic, fresh parsley, and dried spices and let cook until parsley is wilted.
- Remove from heat and serve.
- Pairs with protein and starch of choice.
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