Okra is a summer staple in many cuisines, but best known for its role in creole foods such as gumbo here in the US. Okra has reputation for being slimy due to a mucilaginous juice that it produces and people either love it, or hate it. The cooking tips below okra can help you conquer the slime and develop a new appreciation for this prolific summer vegetable!

Nutrition Fun Facts: Okra is packed full of two types of fiber. The first is soluble fiber which can help lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugars by creating a gel-like substance in the gut. This gel helps to collect harmful cholesterol and slow digestion.  The second is insoluble fiber, which helps to maintain a healthy intestinal tract by acting as a binder and allowing for proper stool formation.  Okra helps regulate blood sugar, promote healthy skin, and protects against stomach ulcers.

Storage Tips: Okra tastes best fresh and should be consumed shortly after purchasing. Store okra in a loosely wrapped plastic bag in the refrigerator. To preserve okra for a longer period, blanch in water and then freeze.  Avoid storing wet okra as it will deteriorate faster in the fridge.

Preparation Tips: To better control gelatinous gum or “slime”, leave okra whole and use quick cooking methods such as sautéing, grilling, frying. In addition, adding acid in the form of tomatoes or citrus juice to a recipe will help minimize the amount of slime excreted from the okra. If looking to use the gelatinous gum to thicken, slice and add to stews or soups. Okra is also great pickled!

It’s August and our market tables are overflowing with tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and potatoes. These veggies are members of the nightshade or solanaceae family, also known as hot crops. These plants thrive in the hot humid summers of southern Illinois when leafy plants like kale, broccoli, and lettuce have shriveled up.  These plants can be complementary, especially in soups and stews with tomatoes as the base. Summer isn’t the best time for hot soups, however, so why not try a chilled tomato soup called Gazpacho? It’s a perfect way to use up the abundant hot crops and stay cool this time of year!

Nutrition information: Tomatoes are very high in antioxidants, including excellent levels of vitamin C and beta-carotene, and good amounts of manganese and vitamin E, all of which support to heart health (1).
 
Preparation tips: Remove the core of large tomatoes with a sharp paring knife. Slice the tomato using a very sharp or serrated knife (dull knives will mash tomatoes). Cooking tempers the acidic nature of tomatoes. For a quick dinner, sauté onion in a pan with oil or butter, add season veggies (eggplant, okra, peppers, zucchini, etc.) and cook down for 3-5 minutes. Add in chopped tomatoes and allow to cook down for 15-20 minutes, until the tomatoes have ‘mellowed’ or become less acidic and have broken down forming a sauce. Add seasonings, fresh or dried herbs, salt and pepper and serve over a grain or pasta.

Storage tips: Tomatoes should be stored at room temperature out of direct sunlight for up to one week, depending on ripeness at time of purchase. If the tomatoes begin to overripe before you are ready to use them, place them in the warmest area of your fridge for up to two days. Allow to return to room temperature before using to restore their juiciness and flavor. Tomatoes freeze well, are easy to can, and taste great dried. Make an extra big batch of tomato sauce and freeze portions in ziplock baggies or plastic containers for use in the winter.

Sweet as a Georgia peach, may hold true in many parts, but around here, nothing beats a Southern Illinois peach. The warm wet climate and sloping hills of southern Illinois are well suited for fruit growing. A hundred years ago, these hills were coverd with fruit trees, supplying Chicago with most of the fruit sold in stores. Today, a handful of those orchards remain, producing peaches for markets and wholesale. Our very own Mileur Orchard is owned an operated by third generation farmers. Mileur Orchard specializes in unique and early season varieties of peaches like donut peaches, white peaches and even nectarines. Mileur Orchard has dozens of varieties of peaches, try a basket each week and see which one you prefer. Once you find your favorite, head out to their store and grab a bushel. Frozen peaches are a great treat in winter, too!

Nutrition Fun Facts: Peaches are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber. Vitamin A and C act as antioxidants in the body by helping to prevent cell damage. Research currently suggests that antioxidants found in natural sources, such as fruits and vegetables, are more effective than those derived chemically (1).
 
Storage Tips: Peaches can easily bruise and should be handled with care. Do not squeeze peaches at the market to check for freshness, the orchard workers have already done that for you. If peaches are too firm to eat when you buy them, store in a brown paper bag at room temperature until the desired firmness is achieved. Placing unripe fruit in the refrigerator can cause a loss of flavor, texture, and moisture. When peaches are ripe, wash in water and rub of “fuzz,” if desired. Store ripe peaches in a plastic bag for 3-5 days in the refrigerator (2).

Preparation Tips: Peaches can be consumed raw, used in jams, boiled, baked, fermented, dehydrated, canned, pureed, sautéed, and frozen. To remove skins, score peel with paring knife in an X shape along the bottom of the peach. Soak in hot water for 1-2 minutes. Remove from water bath and pull peal off with back edge of knife. Slice and put in quart sized zipper bags, jars, or plastic containers. Add sweetener to taste, and a splash of lemon juice to preserve color, and store in fridge or freezer.

12 popsicles, 2 ounces each | Active Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 2 1/4 hours