Healthy Recipes

Okra Stew (Sierra Leone style)

Recipe kindly provided by Sarah King of Lismore, NSW.

Ingredients

Okra – 5-8cms long (soft)- very finely chopped Mix of finely chopped onion, garlic, chilli and tomato. Ginger can be added to this mix too.

Dried cooked fish (mullet is good). Place raw fish in oven at 200 degrees until cooked then reduce heat to dry out slightly.
Stock cube
Salt
Parsley
Basil
Tomato paste
Vegetable oil

Okra Stew

Method

Place oil in a large saucepan on stove or over fire.
Add onion mix, tomato paste and stir with wooden spoon until mixture is soft. Add the fish, stock cube, salt, parsley and basil and water. Then add okra. Lower heat and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve and enjoy!
Quantities depend on how many people you are cooking for. Okra should be the main ingredient- use other ingredients in smaller quantities, mainly to flavour the stew.

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Hearty Minestrone Soup

A hearty Italian soup, and a great way to include legumes and pasta in your diet. Use vegetables fresh from the garden for best results!

15 mins preparation, 20 mins cooking, 17 vegetable serves

Ingredients

1 medium brown onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
2 sticks celery,
sliced 1 large parsnip, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups water
1/2 cup small pasta
6 Brussels sprouts (or 1 cup cabbage) finely sliced
300g can of four bean mix, rinsed and drained

Hearty and healthy

Method

Cook onion and garlic in a large pot with a little water until onion is clear. Add tomato, carrot, celery, parsnip, tomato paste, bay leaf and water.

Bring to the boil, add the pasta and simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Add Brussels sprouts and beans.

Cook for a further 5 minutes.

Serves 6

Variations

Try substituting lentils or butter beans for the four bean mix

Spinach, peas or green beans are tasty alternatives to Brussels Sprouts or cabbage

Add fresh herbs such as basil, oregano or parsley with the vegetables

Recipe adapted from ‘Healthy Food Fast’, State of Western Australia 2008 (Courtesy North Coast Area Health Service Health Promotion Unit)

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