White Bean and Okra Stew

I’m trying to incorporate more beans into my family’s diet.

People are surprised to find out that I don’t eat beans with every meal, or even every day necessarily. I do like beans, and they are one the more versatile foods, but it takes conscious planning to cook beans and when I’m short on time and I don’t plan (shame on me!), beans usually fall by the way side. For the record, I think soaked and simmered beans have a much richer flavor and have an overall better taste than canned, but I do use canned occasionally out of convenience.

This recipe was invented because I ran out of anything fresh a few days ago (need to go shopping TODAY!) so in order to get some veggies into the meal, I decided to throw in some frozen okra that had been sitting in my freezer for quite some time now, hoping to be used.

I tried to make this stew have southern style (perhaps the only “southern” ingredients are the okra and sassafras, but that’s okay!), although I admit I know very little about southern cooking. What I do know is from flipping through Paula Dean’s cooking magazines (I haven’t actually bought one, not at all vegan friendly!) and watching bits and pieces of her cooking show which showcases butter, cream, oil, eggs, and a wide variety of flesh foods in nearly every recipe. I mostly read and watch her stuff with a mixture of awe and disbelief. On one hand what she makes looks absolutely delectable (I’m talking mostly desserts here, not the ribs or pork, which mostly makes my stomach churn these days), on the other hand, I cannot believe that people make foods using a cube of butter, a pint of cream, 6 whole eggs, ect. But I do love her charm, which is why I think she has really surged in popularity. She is engaging and fun to watch.

I did also experience southern food once. I spent a brief time attending a small college in southern Virginia where we ate “local” food in the cafeteria everyday and enjoyed ample amounts of hush puppies, collard greens, fried vegetables, and corn bread among other things (pre-vegan days). With this limited perspective, on which I’m basing my assumptions about southern food, or “soul” food, southern food is rich, comforting, and hearty. This is what I was going for here with this soup.

My husband insists that a soup has a lot of broth, and is light. So I suppose what I made last night should be called a stew. If you’re like me, you probably grew up thinking stew was some concoction of chunks of beef, potatoes, and carrots (we always ate the Dinty Moore, canned kind).

Stew’s definition, as I see it, is a food that simmered over a long period of time to produce a heartier version (less broth) than your traditional soup.

Okra is a food that grows in abundance in the south and is nutrient dense. High in fiber, calcium, vitamins A, C, & K, thiamin, folate, magnesium, and potassium, this food packs a nutritional wallop. My husband was scared to eat it at first (new food, wasn’t sure about taste and texture), but after eating it, decided he couldn’t really taste it as part of the soup anyway so I guess I can take that as a complement (?).

Not only is this protein and fiber rich stew filling, it’s virtually fat free, so if you’re looking to cut back on your fat consumption, this makes a great low fat meal.

White Bean & Okra Stew

Soaking the beans for 24 hours, then simmering them on low in crockpot really intensifies the flavor, and creates a delicious broth. I add one strip of kombu seaweed to the pot, which adds numerous vitamins and minerals including iodine as well as a bit of salty flavor (don’t worry, it does not add a seaweed flavor to the broth!). Don’t underestimate the power of simmering, and it’s easy, it just takes some forethought. I don’t include measurements in this recipe. They’re not important. Be brave, use your intuation and taste buds. I topped my soup with some sweet carmelized onions (not pictured here).

Begin with Great Northern Beans (simmered on low for 24 hours) (about 8 cups total water and cooked beans combined). You should have quite a bit of broth, or water used to cook the beans. You can always add more water if needed. You will also need:

  • Onion granules/powder
  • Garlic powder
  • 1/2 package frozen okra
  • Sea salt or no-salt seasoning to taste
  • A few dashes of Tabasco sauce
  • Pure gumbo file (made from sassafras)
  • Once beans are tender, remove 2 cups of broth and beans and kombu strip (if you used the kombu) place in blender, and blend until smooth. Add liquid back to pot. Add frozen okra, onion granules (about 1/2 TBS., or to taste) and garlic powder (about 1 tsp. or to taste). Simmer on low for at least 1/2 hour or more, or until okra is warm. Add gumbo file, no-salt seasoning (optional), Tabasco sauce (only adds heat if you add a large amount) at the very end (about 1/2 TBS., do less, then add more if needed). Serve and salt if desired.


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