Sometimes I get a craving for a good old fashioned country vegetable plate. Like one I used to get at Cracker Barrel (or any other country cooking place). However, we all know (or should know), that they cook in tons of butter and animal fats. :-( So it's almost impossible to get a vegan vegetable plate. Crazy, right?
Well I made a super yummy plate the other night consisting of boiled cabbage (usually I would use collards, but didn't have any on hand), brown rice, black eyed peas, and FRIED OKRA (my fave!). Now I'd never made fried okra before, but the farmer's market had okra on sale and I became inspired.
I basically just googled a vegan batter recipe and it was so easy. Soak the sliced okra in soy/almond milk, then coat them in a cornbread/ flour/ salt&pepper /paprika mixture before tossing them in bubbling oil. I used canola, I think. Then I tossed them around a bit until they browned.
Ok, so this definitely isn't the healthiest vegan meal, being that it has tons of oil, but it's a craving satisfier. And I'm a big proponent of the occasional splurge. (I also throw some Earth Balance in my rice to make it super creamy and delicious :-)
Lastly, while I didn't add these sides to my plate, cornbread and sliced cucumbers and tomatoes in dill and vinegar would be perfect with this dish!
Oh, and then maybe some vegan peach cobbler!
I should definitely look into a recipe for that!
I basically just googled a vegan batter recipe and it was so easy. Soak the sliced okra in soy/almond milk, then coat them in a cornbread/ flour/ salt&pepper /paprika mixture before tossing them in bubbling oil. I used canola, I think. Then I tossed them around a bit until they browned. 
Love this and love the site. Kudos!
ReplyDeleteWhile I eat a lot of Mediterranean and Asian food, I still enjoy going back and remaking country classics. I like to saute' collard greens in ginger and garlic (along with a few other ingredients...Shhh). They go great with vegan potato salad.
Keep sharing and enjoy the journey.
Ken