Dinner Sunday 18 March - Crispy Baked Okra & Stewed Tomatoes

Crispy Baked Okra & Stewed Tomatoes
I guess the Southern bit of me is showing here. I love okra and prepared this way, it is definitely NOT "slimy", a criticism frequently levelled at okra.

I love crispy deep fried okra, but was looking for a version with less fat and fewer calories. I decided to try baking it instead of deep frying it and it was really delicious. I will definitely be doing this recipe again.

Old Bay is an American seasoning mix, normally used with seafood, like as a crab boil.

Crispy Baked Okra
200g okra
1 free range, organic egg
45g yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning mix


Wash, dry and trim the okra pods, but leave them whole. Dip each pod in the beaten egg, the roll in the cornmeal seasoned with the Old Bay Seasoning.

Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and allow to set in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Spray lightly with a little vegetable oil and bake in a moderate hot oven (Gas 7) until crisp and cooked, about 35 minutes.

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 262.0
Carbohydrate (g) 39.5
Protein (g) 13.1
Fat (g) 7.2
Fibre (g) 9.3

Stewed Tomatoes
1 spicy green pepper (I used a Marmara pepper)
1 small green pepper (about 100g)
3-4 ribs celery (about 100g)
1 medium onion ( about 140g)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 can plum tomatoes in tomato juice
pinch thyme
salt & pepper to taste

Saute the peppers, celery & onions in the vegetable oil. Cover the pan and sweat over lower heat until softened. Add the tomatoes and seasoning and cook over low heat until the juices are reduced by about one half.

Makes 1 large serving

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 182.0
Carbohydrate (g) 27.1
Protein (g) 7.8
Fat (g) 5.7
Fibre (g) 8.9

I had the crispy baked okra and stewed tomatoes with 135g runner beans, slice & steamed.

Nutrition Summary for entire meal
Calories (kcal) 470.3
Protein (g) 22.6
Carbohydrate (g) 70.3
Fat (g) 13.6
Fibre (g) 21.0