Okra, Zucchini & Long Beans

Overwhelmed by okra?

Okra is one of those very seasonal vegetables.  Unless it is frozen, it has to be eaten very fresh to be any good at all.  It needs hot weather to flourish and thrives in high humidity that keeps the night time temperatures up.  When it is in season, we put a lot of it in the CSA.  Like other divisive vegetables, it is a boon to some and the bane of others.  Happily, it is easy to freeze or pickle.  I freeze okra to use in the winter in soups, stews and gumbo.  Just chop the okra into pieces and freezer in zipper bags.  No need to blanch it first.  You can also make refrigerator pickles!  I chose this recipe from The Spruce Eats because if you scroll down to the bottom you’ll see several other great okra recipes.  Randy and I both love okra, so we’ve had no problem eating our way through our fair share.  Usually we toss it with olive oil and roast it in a hot oven, but I also enjoy it in curry and stewed with tomatoes.

Jumbo Zucchini

Sometimes the zucchini gets away from us.  In my defense, it does seem to go from petite to enormous in the blink of an eye, especially in the heat of summer when everything is growing at an alarming rate.  What to do with a bigger than average zucchini?  Big zucchinis are ideal for all kinds of baking.  Zucchini bread, muffins, cake.  Try my recipe for Whole Wheat Chocolate Zucchini Muffins.  I have not tried this, but if you are feeling adventurous, turn that big zucchini into a zapple (mock apple) pie.  Its also great for baked zucchini boats.  This is a traditional recipe with ground beef, but your imagination is the limit!

What the heck are long beans, anyway?

They are also known as yardlong beans, asparagus beans, snake beans, and a host of other names.  More typically consumed in Asia, long beans are a heat loving plant that is great for growing in southern summers.  What I am asked most commonly is how they compare to green beans.  They are softer and meatier than green beans, and take a little bit longer to cook.  The flavor is milder.  They hold up well in soups and stews.  Long beans are great sauteed on their own or stir fried with other vegetables.  I like to stew with with tomatoes mixed with other summer vegetables like okra and eggplant.  Long beans have a short shelf life and are prone to drying out in the refrigerator, so consider storing them in a plastic bag.

Small Shares

• Butternut Squash
• Okra
• Mini Watermelon
• Slicing Tomatoes or Juliet Tomatoes
• Long Beans
• Eggplant
• Yellow Squash or Zucchini

Full Shares

• Butternut Squash
• Okra
• Mini Watermelon
• Slicing Tomatoes or Juliet Tomatoes
• Long Beans
• Eggplant
• Yellow Squash or Zucchini
• Basil