With my limited time, I've been working on making quicker meals that are packed with flavor, but can be completed in under 30 minutes. One of my favorite preparations was one that highlights one of my favorite summer time vegetables: Okra!
It always gives me great joy to walk around the farmers' market and see the beautiful okra, green and purple, that is currently in season.
Okra can be a little tricky to work with, so if you've never prepared it, I recommended reading my earlier post on how to prepare and not prepare this potentially slimy vegetable.
My favorite way to prepare okra is to roast it. It gets a nice little crispness when you cook it this way. Okra is widely used in Creole cuisine and goes great with a bit of spice.
This recipe was made with brown rice spaghetti, but you can substitute any other pasta, rice, quinoa or other grain of choice. The key is all in the seasoning of the vegetables. The measurements are approximate and open to your own tastes.
Quick and Easy Creole Style Pasta
olive oil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
dash white pepper
salt and pepper to taste, if desired
1/4 pound okra, sliced
1/4 pound green beans, sliced
1/2 cup chickpeas
1/2 medium avocado
8 oz brown rice spaghetti
nutritional yeast, optional
Makes 2 to 4 servings.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl or ramekin, mix together all the spices. Toss okra, chickpeas and green beans separately in a small amount of oil, using one third of the spice mix for each. Lay the veggies and chickpeas out onto a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
3. While okra is baking, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving a small amount of pasta water.
4. Mash avocado with a small amount of olive oil or pasta water, until it is creamy. Toss with pasta to combine. Portion pasta into serving bowls and top with veggies. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and enjoy!
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