Help! Question from the worst cook on the planet

Anonymous

Okra is green and it depends on how it is cooked.  Its best if battered in cornmeal and fried nice and crisp.  Its also used in gumbo.

lv2cmp

okra can be cooked many ways not only fried.

sns

If okra isn't cooked right, it tends to be slimy.

justanna

Okra is definitely not served white or crunchy; it is actually rather mushy.  (Photo below)  Okra (also known as gumbo), is a tall-growing, warm-season, annual vegetable from the same family as hollyhock, rose of Sharon and hibiscus. The immature pods are used for soups (gumbos), canning and stews or as a fried or boiled vegetable. The hibiscus like flowers and upright plant (3 to 6 feet or more in height) have ornamental value for backyard gardens.

Have you thought about seeing a nutrientist for advice?  It doesn't sound like a cooking problem as much as a confusion about what your body really needs.  Corn and potatoes aren't really thought of as vegetables (unless you are the US school system and add ketchup, LOL) but are considered grains and starches.  If you're eating raw colorful vegetables, that's great, but watch what you're dressing them with and make sure you're not loading up on even more carbohydrate fixings.  The fresh fruit is wonderful, but be careful with the dried; it is loaded with chemicals that can build up in the body and ironically, can cause constipation.  Since you're coping with a multitude of health problems, I think it would be really important to consult with a nutritionist or dietician for advice.

justanna

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/okra1.html

Sorry, it wouldn't let me post the photo

lv2cmp

you are so right friendnneed-the only thing crunchy about okra that is fried would be the batter on the outside which is the part that isnt good for you. 

People eat boiled okra too and its slimy and just slides on down.

Anonymous

Amy

You are absolutely right dear!  Okra is only crunchy with the cornmeal batter but its ...oh so good!  Boiled its just a slimy mess.  But in a nice Louisiana gumbo...its delish! 

But okra is a vegetable that is not to everyone's liking. 

NoH8

Thanks for the pic friend. Maybe it's turnips I like-- definitely NOT okra. I think you can eat hibiscus flowers too. I'm pretty sure I got dried ones at trader joe's, they were so pretty I figured they had to be good but nooooo.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

lv2cmp

I guess I'm a weird one and I really enjoy boiled okra. 

Amy

shokk

Nothing better then stewed tomatoes and okra with a big ole piece of cornbread..............yea Amy guess you might be a bit strange but I don't think it has anything to do with boiled okra......

EyesOTex

Maybe I missed something here, but if you add a little lemon juice (or even vinegar) to okra when you boil it, it will cut the slime.  I think the acidic nature of stewed tomatos might do the same.  Boil it with the lemon juice, drain, add butter (well, whatever you use for butter), salt and pepper, and any other spices you like.  But it has to be SMALL okra pods, or sliced up ones that aren't hard too slice (i.e., too old)...TMI?

Anonymous

Thanks, EOT!  Learn something new everyday.

lv2cmp

Never TMI EyesoTex-I have heard that but never tried it.

Shokk-oh come on being from Texas you eat strange things too missy.

Amy

justanna

What was it mixed in?  If it was in salad I would guess jicama.  If it was in Chinese food, I'd guess water chestnuts or even bamboo shoots (though less crunchy).  Okra isn't served in either dish that I know of; (okra salad?  yuck!) and is usually a Southern delicacy like grits and fatback greens or as everyone has said, in gumbo (where it is a least somewhat tolerable, LOL).  The entire point though is you need to add some color beyond white and yellow.  You could always try to enlist the old mom trick of mixing shredded spinach/carrots/beets, etc. into sauces; I could hide A LOT in a really good meatball and it keeps them moist.  Turnips/rutabaga/parsnips are rather bitter alone and it would unusual for someone to serve them on salad.  They're better mashed with butter, like mashed potatoes.  Have you tried sweet potatoes or yams?  Much healthier than plain potatoes.

I can't personally eat flowers, dried or otherwise; it's like munching on a kitten or something.  Maybe it's because the only ones I've been served are pansies, and I always compare their little faces to kittens.

Anonymous

Amy, you are so funny.  Oka, like Always Hope said, is green plus it is prickly.  And, if you are funny about textures you certainly won't eat okra if it's slimy.  However, I don't find okra to be slimy in soups.

Since you like raw veggies you can have a salad on the side.  Also, about the beef stew...I find canned potatoes work best because they don't get all mushy and fall apart.  I don't know if the nutritional value is any worse when canned.  Also, you can freeze the stew if you have too much to eat.

I forgot...do you like cooked tomatoes.  They're very yummy in stews and soups. 

Good luck with your cooking.  You MAY even enjoy it. LOL  I'm sick of cooking!

Shirley

Anonymous

There is a nice recipe for potato soup that you can make using the frozen hash browns you buy in the freezer section.  If you like, I will be happy to post the recipe.

Anonymous

Oops, didn't know we had two pages.  My post is outdated.  All the gals answered your questions (and their's).

Anonymous

That's happened to me before too, Shirley.  On the old format, I would use the quick post at the bottom and my post would end up looking like I was responding to someone else if I didn't watch the page numbers.

Anonymous

I think we're all anxious to help Amy learn to cook and to like different foods.  Aw, c'mon Amy.  Give some of these foods a try.  Open the mouth....here comes the choo choo train....choo choo choo choo choo choo choo choo....open mouth.  See below. LOL  Look, this little one has all kinds of food on his plate PLUS he has a dog who'll eat whatever he drops.

shokk

Ohhhhhh.................Shirley how adorable is he..............just want to take a big ole bite of him.......how cute are those jammies............see Amy he's eating all of his vegtables.................

Anonymous

I'm a bit prejudiced.

That's my grandbaby boy, Grant.  That was taken last Christmas.  He's now a whole year older and talking!

The poor little fella finally had his first haircut! LOL  He started getting this curly mohawk.  My dd hated to have it cut. 

He's the funniest, cutest little fella.  He'll melt your heart.

Shirley

And, yes, Amy.  He eats quite a few varieties of foods.  However, I do think he's getting a bit more picky.

NoH8

Ok-- it is waterchestnuts, whoever said that. Can you buy them in a regular grocery store?

I'm honestly feeling a bit overwhelmed-- I'm gonna try that beef stew this weekend.

Anonymous

Yes, you can find water chestnuts in the aisle that has oriental foods.  I get them at walmart when I'm doing stir fry.

Anonymous

Good luck, Amy! 

badboob67

Amy,

First, let me say that I'm so glad you didn't eat the soup!  I told my sons about your post and my 12 year old's response was, "OHMYGOSH! That'll kill her!!"  LOL!!  I'm VERY picky about cleanliness, freshness, and how my food is cooked. I have a very hard time making myself eat anything at a potluck supper or a buffet. I guess lots of that rubbed off on my kids. I hope you decide to try making it again....and don't forget to pop it in the fridge this time!

If you like water chesnuts (YUMMY!), you may find that you like JICAMA. It looks a lot like a turnip. It has a similar texture to water chesnuts or raw potatoes. Its flavor is like a cross between an apple and potato. I have had it on salads and it really is very good. I'm not sure about its nutritional value, but fresh anything usually has at least something that's good for you.

Shirley, that baby is such a cutie!

(((HUGS)))

Diane 

NoH8

I got my ingredients, I'm going to try to make it tomorrow. I got cooking wine instead of regular wine because I don't drink wine so I didn't know what to do with the rest of the bottle. I didn't know how much of what to buy.

Diane, your son could probably answer this--- but do water chestnuts come other ways but a can? Are they nuts or a veggie? Jicama sounds good, do you eat them raw?

Anonymous

Amy

I just buy the cooking wines in the grocery stores too.  I don't drink wine but I do cook with it on occasion.  The cooking wines tend to be saltier according to Rachel Raye (love her show) so watch out when you add regular salt.  I guess I'm on the sodium bandwagon because I was diagnosed with high blood pressure.  Its something you want to avoid if you don't have it yet.

badboob67

Amy,

I have only seen water chesnuts in a can, but haven't looked for them any other way. As for the jicama, I have only eaten it raw, but it can be cooked. They are also known as "yambean". I visited  

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c20hz.html for nutritional information.  It looks like they're a good source of vitamin C.

badboob67

whoops...you'd probably have better luck if you google "water chesTnuts"...I spelled it wrong!

NoH8

You know, AH, my doctor told me a while back to  try to get more sodium-- I can't remember why it was years back because of some kind of deficiency. My blood pressure usually runs low, not dangerously low, just below average.

Funny badboob, I was in the produce department of the grocery store looking for the water chestnuts-- I asked the guy where the asian department of the produce department was and he looked at me like I didn't know what I was doing.... imagine that .