Simply Southern Okra and Tomatoes

This recipe is one that is kind of hard for me to make because I do NOT like okra.  I wish I did but I cannot get past the sliminess (is that even a word) of it!  Okay...let me back up...I will eat it fried!  However, that is not really saying much...I think I would eat just about anything fried!!

I have lived in the south all my life but I had never made okra and tomatoes until several years ago.  My daughter Holly was probably 10 or 12 years old  and had went over to her friend, Natalie's, house.  Natalie's mom, Kelly,  is one of my very best friends and has been ever since we were in Junior High School.

Natalie, Kelly, Me (Janna), and Holly

She is a fantastic cook and that day she was making Okra and Tomatoes.  Low and behold, Holly loved them.  Do you know how excited I was to learn that my child loved a vegetable.? (rhetorical question)   I had to get busy learning how to make okra and tomatoes....so I paid Kelly to share her recipe with me.  Justtttt kidddding...she very sweetly showed me how to make them. 

I went to the local Farmer's Market in Beaumont this past weekend and picked up some fresh okra to use but if you do not have any fresh, you can always use frozen.  I made them tonight along with grilled corn on the cob....and my sister-in-law, Judy, made meatloaf (not just your ordinary meatloaf, it had a special sauce...yummm), mashed potatoes, crowder peas, and cornbread muffins.  It was a true down South, clean your plate, kind of meal! 

Here's the recipe...it is super easy and quick to make!!

SIMPLY SOUTHERN OKRA AND TOMATOES

1 Bag (16 ounces) frozen, chopped okra

OR

fresh, chopped okra

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/2 medium poblano pepper or bell pepper, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

1 can Rotel Tomatoes

1 can Petite diced Tomatoes

2 cups of Vegetable Broth

1 teaspoon sugar

(I think some worcestershire sauce would be tasty in this)

Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic in olive oil until soft. 

Add okra and saute to incorporate flavors.  

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Add your Rotel and Petite Diced Tomatoes

Pour in the Vegetable Broth

Add approximately 1 teaspoon of sugar to cut the tartness of the tomatoes. Cover.

Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.  

And voila...it is ready to eat!

The other day, when I went to the Farmer's Market, I went with my friends Nita and Phyllis.

Nita, Phyllis and Myself

Phyllis bought some of the okra like I did and when she got home she made Okra and Tomatoes but she served it over rice as a one-dish meal.  She sent me a picture of it below...how yummy does that look?

However you decide to serve it...remember okra has so many health benefits such as being rich in fiber, vitamin A, C and K.  It is also a good source of minerals such as iron, magnesium, manganese, and calcium.  Likewise, tomatoes are abundantly healthy because they contain Lycopene.   Lycopene  flushes out free radicals which cause cancer.  Tomatoes also prevent heart disease and high cholesterol.  

Healthy and Tasty....Great Combination!!

ENJOY!