Okra is a member of the mallow family, which places it in the same family as cacao, hibiscus, and cotton. It’s a flowering plant, native to West Africa. Traditional belief is that it made its way to the Americas coincidentally through the slave trade.

It is a good source of fiber (3.2 g./c. raw), vitamin A, vitamins B6 and B9 (folic acid – 88 mcg./c.), vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. See vitamin notes at end of article.

Okra is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, making it beneficial in controlling blood sugar, increasing regularity while preventing hemorrhoids and constipation, and assisting with weight loss, while lowering the cholesterol absorption.

Okra is also high in mucilage, a lubricating substance that soothes internal irritations, including ulcers and sensitive stomachs while aiding in the movement of digestion waste.

When shopping for fresh okra, choose the younger pods less than four inches long. They should be moderately firm without bruises or other damage.

Okra is best stored in the refrigerator in a storage container or bag, wrapped in a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. It should keep for 3-4 days.

My favorite way to eat okra is in salads. Unlike when it’s cooked, there’s no noticable mucilage (sliminess) and it has a delicate crunch and mild flavor. I usually cut off the cap just below the line and slice them 1/4-inch thick with spring greens, tomato slices, green onions, and whatever else you like.

As with many veggies, okra should be cooked using the least amount of heat for as short a time as possible. It will keep for 3-4 days in most cooked dishes.

Nutritional benefits of Okra:

1. Fiber, soluble — dissolves in water, cannot be digested, but is transformed by fermentation in the digestive tract. Absorbs moisture to become a gelatinous substance that passes through the tract.
2. Fiber, insoluble — passes through the tract unchanged.
3. Vitamin A — aids in vision, gene transcription, immune function, embryonic development and reproduction, bone metabolism, haematopoiesis (the formation of blood cellular components), skin health, and antioxidant activity.
4. Vitamin B6 — involved in many aspects of macronutrient metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, histamine synthesis, hemoglobin synthesis and function and gene expression.
5. Vitamin B9 (aka folic acid) — involved in many aspects of macronutrient metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, histamine synthesis, hemoglobin synthesis and function and gene expression.
6. Vitamin C (aka L-ascorbic acid) — essential to a healthy diet as well as being a highly effective antioxidant; and an enzyme cofactor for the biosynthesis of many important biochemicals. Vitamin C acts as an electron donor for eight different enzymes.
7. Calcium — a common cellular ionic messenger with many functions, and serves also as a structural element in bone. It is the relatively high atomic-numbered calcium in the skeleton which causes bone to be radio-opaque.
8. Potassium — Potassium cations are important in neuron (brain and nerve) function, and in influencing osmotic balance between cells and the interstitial fluid.
9. Magnesium — its ions are essential to all living cells, where they play a major role in manipulating important biological polyphosphate compounds like ATP, DNA, and RNA. Hundreds of enzymes thus require magnesium ions in order to function.
Credit: Wikipedia.

Here is a quick lesson on amino acids.

Amino Acids are the building block of protein. They can be found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and other vegan friendly foods. There area about 20 different amino acids, eight of which must be present in the human diet. These eight are the essential acids.

While plant proteins may not contain all the essential acids in necessary proportions, if yoou eat a varied diet throughout the day including fruits, grains, vegetables, nuts, and other foods then you will get more than enough protien.

One of the best meals for a complete protein is a legume and a grain.

If a vegan eats a wide variety of healthy foods then they are getting the essential acids necessary for optimum health.
For more information on amino acids visit the following site:

Vegetarian Society

Melon, berries, grapes, apples, oranges, exotic fruit, and more. All of these fruits are waiting for you to grab a basket full, take them home and enjoy. Even better is the fact that you can introduce your children who may be junk food junkies to the beauty of fruit unleashed.

Grab an apple chop it, add some strawberries, mangoes, and grapes. Have a fruit salad sprinkled with honey and granola.

Yum!!!

A couple of words of caution as you engross yourself in the tasty summer fruit delights.

Melons should always be eaten by themselves or all the nutritional value will go bye-bye and you will have digestive issues that you do not want! Also never mix your fruit with vegetables, because, while it may taste good, eating the two together cancels out the nutritional value and your body gets confused as to how to read what just entered your belly.

Enjoy your summer and gobble down tons of fresh fruit!

The carrot is an all year around vegetable, so a cook can always find a carrot around to add to a recipe. The sweet crunchy flavor of the carrot makes it a star among families and a favorite healty snack for kids.

Free Foto

Benefits of the Carrot

The rich deep orange color of the carrot is the clue of the presence of beta carotene; a plant based form of vitamin A that is particularly effective in preventing cancer. A half cup of carrot suffices for a the daily recommendation necessary to keep an antidotal supply of beta carotene in the blood system.

Beta carotene is also effective in keep the eyesight of elderly in good shape.

Carrots are also good for lowering cholesterol.

Raw carrots are great and cooked, but not overcooked release even more beta carotenes. Just make sure if you cook them that you leave the crunch in….steaming is best!

In the Market

Although you will find carrots available all year around, not all carrots are created equal. The freshest sweetest carrots are firm with a deep rich orange color and with the green tops still attached. Don’t buy moldy, or sprouting tops, or carrots with lots of thready roots. Also avoid flabby, soft carrots.

Over large carrots tend to have big woody cores. Then you have the tiny “baby carrots” which are actually immature small carrots lacky the full flavor of the carrots that are small to medium size.

In The Kitchen

Carrot are best kept in a plastic bag inside of a refrigerator crisper for two weeks. If you choose to freeze your carrots, steam them first for about 2 to 3 minutes, before adding to any dish to maintain the crispy.

Be sure to get your free carrot recipes: Honey Glazed Carrots and Carrot Ginger Juice

Shutter Stock Photos
Apples are a source of soluble and insoluble fiber; which are both are necessary for proper functioning of the body. Insoluble fiber is a wonder drug for your body’s digestive system and soluble fiber, such as pectin, works at preventing cholesterol build-up in the linings of the blood vessel walls. So eating an apple does help to keep your body moving.The skin of the apple is a necessary component for us as well. It increases the insoluble fiber and most of the vitamin C in apples is found directly under the skin.

Apples are also full of Vitamin A, anti-oxidants, and phytochemicals.

There are many type of apples. Some are tart, some are sweet, some are soft and smooth, some are crisp and crunchy. There are apples for every taste; from the tart taste of a crunchy Granny Smith to the sweet flavor of the Fugi. The most popular apple is the Red Delicious with a dark red skin and semi-sweet flavor.

Here in Chicago we have a friend who drives to Michigan at harvesting time and picks some delicious Michican Apples.

Storage of Apples

Early picked apples should be immediately refrigerated and eaten as soon as possible, but late-ripening varieties will keep for about a month.

Be sure to check for rotten apples because they will spoil the whole bunch. And the whole bunch does not have to be just apples.

How to Use and Eat Apples

Apples for the most part are best eatan raw. Just take a bite and enjoy. You can also juice and apple for ultimate benefits. Cooking apples will deplete the nutrition content. However, you can do a quick apple saute without compromising much of the nutritional value.

Eat apples fresh, baked, in pies, sauces, salads, jellies and preserves, or pressed into cider or juice.

Try my Apple Pieless dish or Apple Cranberry Salad for a change of paste.