Day 6: Nutritional Information About Okra - Διατροφικές Πληροφορίες Σχετικά με Τις Μπάμιες. March 8, 2014

Yesterday (click here) we presented a very quick and simple dish that used okra as the main ingredient. Today we will share some important nutritional information about this versatile and universal vegetable.

For starters, the okra plant's species name is Abelmoschus esculentus. It is a member of the marrow family and, surprisingly, is related to various plants such as the hibiscus, cocoa and cotton. 

Nutritionally, it is a desirable food because it is great at being a natural food thickener due to its mucilaginous (slimy) fiber and its high iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium content.


Source of nutritional table: http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/okra.html

Here are some interesting scientific research papers that detail the potential health benefits of okra in conditions such as diabetes mellitus (click here). Besides the rich nutritional content of okra, some of these health benefits are attributed to the mucilaginous fiber (also known in our home as sticky, slimy goo) in okra.

Interestingly, some people should consider talking to their doctor first before eating okra regularly; because okra contains high levels of oxalic acid, some individuals who get many kidney stones should be careful about regular consumption of okra. Check this interesting .pdf for a detailed list of foods high in oxalate: http://www.ohf.org/docs/OxalateContent092003.pdf

“When pride retreats from a man, humility begins to dwell in him, and the more pride is diminished, so much more does humility grow. The one gives way to the other as to its opposite. Darkness departs and light appears. Pride is darkness, but humility is light.”

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, Journey to Heaven: Counsels on the Particular Duties of Every Christian

Source: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.com/tag/humility/

Source of icon: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/st-tikhon-of-zadonsk.jpg

Day 5: Stewed Okra - Μπάμιες. March 7, 2014

Okra is one of those foods you either love or hate.  There are few people who feel moderately about it.  In fact, most people who say they don't like okra usually do so because of the slimy texture and the abundance of seeds.  What if someone told you that we could make bamies without the slime -- would you try them?  Well, we don't know that stewing the okra makes it any less slimy, but we did read about soaking fresh okra in a water, vinegar, and salt brine for an hour or so before cooking to reduce the amount of goo when the okra is cooked.  Or, you could buy the frozen okra.  For some reason, frozen okra produces less slime and has the same great flavour as the fresh.  We do know, however, that some dishes want and need okra's slimy goo to help thicken the dish.  One example of this is the famous dish gumbo.  The okra releases that thick sticky goo into the stew and helps thicken the tomato sauce and juices.  With Greek bamies, it is the same thing -- the okra thickens the sauce.  So, why not embrace that slimy texture and appreciate all that it is doing for the cooking process!

We made the bamies the same way our mothers, fathers, grandparents, and any other relative who cooks them does.  We made them with onions and tomatoes.  As we were making the okra, we realised that onion and tomato are two of the most popular ingredients that we have on our Lenten menu.  And, it seems that almost everything can go with tomato sauce and onions.  And for us, we know that okra can, too!  Occasionally, it is difficult to find fresh okra in the grocery store, or it is absolutely cost prohibitive, but there is frozen okra -- whole or sliced.  We like the look of the whole okra, but have made this with the sliced okra, too.  It's just a preference to use the whole one.  If you can find it fresh, then you should use fresh okra.  Make sure to clean off the fuzz on the outside skin, and trim the stems so they are close to the pod.  We used frozen okra, so this dish was particularly easy and quick to make, and since there were only two of us tonight, we made just a small amount.

For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

1 package frozen okra (1 pound fresh okra, cleaned, trimmed)

16 oz can tomatoes in sauce (about 2 cups)

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 onion, peeled and cut

1 TBSP garlic, chopped

2 TBSP olive oil

You do not have to thaw the frozen okra.  It is actually better if it is still frozen when you add it to the pot, so just take it out of the freezer when you are about to start preparing this dish.  If you are using fresh okra, then make sure that it is washed and trimmed, and that the fuzzy exterior has been washed off under cool running water.

The first preparation is to slice or dice the onion.  You can cut the onion in whatever shape you like.  We chose to cut half length slices by cutting the onion in half, then we followed the natural "stripes" on the onion so the slices are rather thin.  You can dice the onions, but make sure it is a smaller dice so not to take away the attention from the beautiful pods of okra.  Next, mince (or chop) the garlic.  You could also use prepared garlic for this dish.  If you are using fresh tomatoes, chop them now.  If you are like us, and you used canned whole tomatoes, those, too, need to be cut up a bit.  Reserve the juices of the canned tomatoes - those you will need in this dish!

On medium heat, put a small pot with the 2 Tablespoons of oil in it.  You will start to cook the onions until they are soft, and you want to make sure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.  If two Tablespoons of oil seems like a lot to you, remember that stewed okra is part of the ladera fagita (translated as "oily food dishes" - (usually olive oil)) category and needs a little extra oil.  Next, add the garlic to cook with the onion.

Once the onion and the garlic are soft and half-cooked without browning, add the tomato paste.  You want to add the tomato paste first so it has a moment to fry in the oil and pick up another layer of flavour.  Mix everything together well so that the onions and garlic are fully coated with tomato and oil.  Then, add the canned tomatoes.  We used whole plum tomatoes in sauce the other day for a different dish, and we had half of the can leftover -- it was a large can.  But, you can use diced tomatoes in sauce, whole tomatoes like we did, or even fresh tomatoes with an extra tablespoon of tomato paste plus a cup of water to make the sauce.  The canned tomatoes are very convenient, and this was a good way to use leftovers!

Add the tomatoes and mix well.  Sprinkle a little salt and pepper into the pot.  We say a little because you can adjust the seasoning when the dish is finished cooking.  Once you have the seasonings in the pot, add the frozen okra.  Once again, you do not have to thaw the okra.  Mix everything together well and make sure that the okra is fully coated with tomato sauce and oil.

Bring this mixture to a boil, and let it cook for about 5 minutes on boil, then put a lid on the pot and lower the heat to a medium-low temperature.  Allow this to stew (cook) for another 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how well done you want the okra.  We chose to leave a little bite to our bamies so they would have less slime in the centre, but older generations cook this for another hour and make sure that everything is very soft and well cooked.  We like the little crunch!

Anyway, let this simmer and then serve with a sprinkling of salt and pepper on top.  Of course, those who are enjoying the bamies will adjust the salt and pepper for themselves.  Some of us just want to taste the okra and we omit the salt and pepper, but this really is a dish that needs just a little bit of each, so it is good to garnish the top with just that -- salt and pepper.

Okra is an easy food to make, and having the frozen vegetable department at the grocery store to supply us with it year round is really a blessing.  It is versatile, attractive, and packed full of vitamins to help keep us healthy.  So, before you eat when you say your dinner prayer, remember to add "Stin iyia sas!" (To your health!)

“You should continually and unceasingly call to mind all the blessings which God in His love has bestowed on you in the past, and still bestows for the salvation of your soul. You must not let forgetfulness of evil or laziness make you grow unmindful of these many and great blessings, and so pass the rest of your life uselessly and ungratefully.

For this kind of continual recollection, pricking the heart like a spur, moves it constantly to confession and humility, to thanksgiving with a contrite soul, and to all forms of sincere effort, repaying God through its virtue and holiness. In this way the heart meditates constantly and conscientiously on the words from the Psalms: ‘What shall I give to the Lord in return for all His benefits towards me?’ (Psalm 116:12).”

– St. Mark the Ascetic, Letter to Nicolas the Solitary, The Philokalia Vol. 1

Source: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.com/tag/humility/

Day 4: Thick Savoury Baked Potato Chips - <<Τηγανητές Πατάτες Του Φούρνου με Μπαχαρικά>> March 6, 2014

Potato chips are one of our favourite snack foods.  We enjoy the crunchy, salty good chip on occasion. It is also a nice treat to make a potato chip at home, but we aim to make ours a little healthier than those we buy in the store.  One way to do that is to bake the potato slices instead of frying.  Some may argue that the crispy, crunchy factor is no longer there when the potato is baked, but we disagree.  The crunchiness comes from the thickness of the potato slice.  That is, the thinner potato slice will have more crunch to it than the thicker.  We aimed to make these chips crunchy, and almost got there!  Our slices should have been a little thinner, but the flavour was delightful.

The baked potato chip needs only a few ingredients and can be prepared in about 25 minutes.  It is a great after school snack that you can get the younger generation involved with making (and eating).

For this recipe, you will need the following:

3 russet potatoes

1 Tablespoon oil (we used olive today, but you can use other types of healthy oil)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1-2 teaspoons Greek oregano

To make this recipe, you will start by scrubbing the the potatoes and slicing them.  The slices should be across the potato, not down the length.  Slice as thinly as you can, trying to keep the slices of even width all the way down the length of the potato.  We thought about using a mandolin or a food processor with a slicing blade, but for 3 potatoes, that seemed like a lot of clean up for a little work.  We did ours by hand with a serrated chef's knife, to make the slicing more fluid.  Use a sharp knife that will easily cut through the potato starch.

Once the potatoes are sliced, put them in a bowl large enough for mixing.  Add the oil.  Mix the oil very well to make sure to coat all sides of the potato slices.  The potatoes may stick to each other, but you have to mix to separate them and coat them with oil.  Then, add the  salt, pepper, and oregano.   Mix again so that the spices are evenly distributed over all of the potato slices.

Then, lay the potato slices on a prepared cookie sheet.  You can use parchment paper, as we did, or if you have non-stick cookie sheets, use a little pan spray on the cookie sheet.  Lay the potato slices in a single layer, not overlapping at all.  We found that if we laid all the large pieces in rows, we could use the smaller pieces of potato to fill in the gaps between the large slices.  Or, you can just line up the rows, trying to keep the smaller slices in the middle of the pan, and the larger slices on the perimeter.  It depends on your oven and where the hot spots are located.

Once the tray is full, put it in the preheated, 450 F oven for 10-15 minutes.  Once again, this depends on your oven.  The potatoes will take on a beautiful golden colour, and they will become nice and firm.  Our oven took almost 20 minutes to achieve the crispiness, but the colour was reached at 15 minutes.  There is no need to flip the potato slices since they are so thin to start, they bake right through the middle!  Now, serve these hot!  They will be crisp and flavourful and a nice snack.

“If God is slow in answering your request, or if you ask but do not promptly receive anything, do not be upset, for you are not wiser than God.”

St. Isaac of Syria

Source: http://holyapostlesorthodox.org/about-orthodoxy/resources/quotes?page=1

Day 3: Papa's Savoury Baked Eggplant with Chopped Garlic, Ψητές Μελιντζάνες με Σκόρδο, March 5, 2014

On Kathara Deftera's Koulouma meal (Day 2 of this year's blog) we had a variety of foods on our table. Most of them were without oil (no olive oil in any items with a couple of items having canola oil). Most importantly, all of them were fasting appropriate by not having any animal products with blood. One of the dishes that we had, and one which we enjoy regularly is the creation of a senior family member, the 87 year old grandfather (παππού) in our family. He makes these whenever he can, and we all benefit from that! This dish is simple to prepare, and even easier to eat! We are talking about the aubergine - eggplant.

Eggplants are part of the nightshade family, as are potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and belladonna. Some members of this family can be poisonous because of the narcotic traits, but eggplant is not one of them. In fact, the eggplant has plenty of health benefits by giving us fibre, vitamins B, C, and folate, as well as minerals like potassium, magnesium, and calcium. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colours, and flavours. In previous posts, we have noted the Chinese eggplant as one of our favourite kinds because it does not have a bitter aftertaste that many of the larger, Italian varieties do. The long, slim eggplant also has a tender skin that you can leave intact for cooking. In today's marketplace, it is easy to find the Chinese variety, but you should always use the ones you like the best. Whichever variety you choose, make sure to look for a firm, smooth vegetable with no bruises, soft spots, or blemishes on the skin.

This recipe is a homemade one, therefore, we don't have exact measurements. But, we do have the method, and you can adjust the seasonings to your preference. It has only four ingredients and takes about 30 minutes to prepare. Knowing this, you can add it as a side dish to any meal, even the ones that have meat!

First, wash the eggplants and remove the top stem part. This part is inedible anyway, and it is probably not yummy. When you cut off the stem, try to cut as close to the fruit as possible. For us, it is important to get as much of the fruit as we can.



Now, we slice the eggplants lengthwise. While this member of the family slices in his hand, like many people, he gets the feel of the eggplant to follow the curves, and stay steady as he slices. The goal is to achieve even slices.



Now, lay all the eggplant slices in a pan or a bowl -- whatever container will hold the slices and you have enough room to mix them with your hands.



Once all of the slices of eggplant are in the pan, pour some vegetable oil over the batch. We don't have an exact measurement, but pour enough oil to cover the top, and then make sure that it is enough to coat all of the under layers of eggplant slices. Then, take a handful of salt and sprinkle it all over the eggplant slices. This may look like a lot of salt, but it is typical with eggplant to use salt to draw out some of the liquid and to remove any residual bitterness. You can adjust the salt to your personal preferences.

Add the salt and then mix the eggplant slices very well. You want to make sure that each slice is coated with oil and salt, so you may have to move the slices from the bottom to the top and all around the pan to coat them evenly.











Lay the eggplant slices on a cookie tray that is lined with parchment paper. The paper will prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Even though there is oil on each slice, there is some sticking if you eliminate the paper. We have tried before to use a silicone sheet liner, but the paper works better. Line up the slices in a single layer on the cookie tray. You can see the beautiful shine!





Put the eggplant in the preheated broiler at the highest setting (top rack) for 10 - 15 minutes (depending on your oven). You will see a lovely brown colour develop on the top of the eggplant. Try to leave the eggplant in the broiler for enough time to develop this full, rich colour.

Then, turn over each slice of eggplant, and put it back into the broiler for another 10 - 15 minutes. Once again, you will see the beautiful brown colour develop and you may want to feel the eggplant slices in the middle to feel if the middle is soft. This is a very good indication that the eggplant is cooked through and ready to eat.





Remove the eggplant slices from the cookie tray, and put them into either a plate for serving, or a container for storing. This time we used a plate, because they were part of our dinner. However, in the past, παππού has put them directly into a glass storage container (a 2 quart or 2 litre Pyrex dish) for future consumption. Try to transfer the eggplant slices while they are still warm, so not to overcook them, because the eggplant will become mushy when overcooked.



Then, take a few cloves of chopped garlic and sprinkle that all around the dish. We used fresh, chopped garlic instead of any garlic powder or processed chopped garlic. The processed chopped garlic does not always give the bite and sharp flavour of fresh garlic. And, garlic powder can turn into paste when mixed with oil, so you want to avoid that. And, if you ask the family member who made this dish, he will tell you, "Garlic is good for your health. You should eat it with everything!" And, we agree -- well, almost everything!



Finally, pour vegetable oil over the warm eggplants, enough to coat the top of the heap of eggplant slices. The oil will get mixed around, and there will be some oil coming out of the eggplant from the baking process. So, pour enough to coat the top of the slices, but not enough to make the eggplants soaked with oil. If you are making these to store, and use at a later time, then cover the eggplant completely with oil, so they are preserved for the refrigeration.



At this point, you are ready to serve your eggplant dish. It is ready for the table and will add another inexpensive, tasty and nutritious alternative to your choices of Lenten side dishes or snacks.

Source of image: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.com/2013/10/27/st-mark-the-ascetic-wickedness-is-an-intricate-net/

“Wickedness is an intricate net; and if someone is careless when partially entangled, he gets completely enmeshed.” – St. Mark the Ascetic