Grilled Okra with Lemon Basil sauce

I love grilled okra. The trick is to get the small ones, under 3 inches, then slice them lengthwise so they don’t explode on the grill. This week I whipped up a guilt free sauce to accompany them.

Ingredients:
1 lb okra, sliced lengthwise
Canola oil
1/2 c Greek Yogurt, fat free
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c basil, finely chopped
Zest of on lemon
2 TBSP lemon juice
Cayenne pepper to taste

Toss okra in canola oil and grill until nicely charred about 7 minutes.

Combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl.

Salt okra and serve with sauce.

Serves 4.

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Quick Coleslaw

If you’ve seen my last couple blog posts of pulled pork and BBQ sauce, you probably guessed cabbage was coming next. This is another one from chow, with some changes. More veggies, less mayo, fat free sour cream – I think it makes for a healthier and tastier slaw.

Ingredients:
1 small head of green
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt,
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
1/4 c cider vinegar
2 TBSP mayonnaise
1/4 c sour cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 – 8 carrots, grated

Slice cabbage in half through the core. Cut a V-shaped notch around the white core on each half; discard the core. Slice each half lengthwise into quarters and thinly slice each quarter crosswise into 1/8-inch-wide strips.

Place cabbage in a large colander set over a large bowl or plate, sprinkle with measured salt, and toss to coat. Place a heavy bowl on top of the cabbage, then place a heavy can or two in the bowl to weigh it down. Let sit until cabbage has released about 1/4 cup of moisture, at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, place onion and vinegar in a small bowl and stir to combine. Let sit until cabbage is ready.

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, caraway seeds, and measured pepper in a large bowl and stir to combine.

When cabbage is ready, squeeze large handfuls to release any excess liquid and place in the large bowl with the dressing. Add grated carrots and reserved onion-vinegar mixture and toss to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Serve immediately or keep refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for up to 1 day.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This recipe is from Chow.com. This day is perfect for a work from home day, toss everything in the pot in the morning and let it go till dinner time. OK so it’s not real BBQ pulled pork, but its still good!

Ingredients:
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 c chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
1 TBSP packed dark brown sugar
1 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 (4-1/2- to 5-pound) boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (also known as pork butt), twine or netting removed
2 c barbecue sauce (optional)

Place the onions and garlic in an even layer in the slow cooker and pour in the stock or broth. Combine the sugar, chili powder, measured salt, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork and place the meat on top of the onions and garlic. Cover and cook until the pork is fork tender, about 6 to 8 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low.

Turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork to a cutting board. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl. Pour the onion mixture from the slow cooker through the strainer and return the solids to the slow cooker. Set the strained liquid aside.

If the pork has a bone, remove and discard it. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker, add the barbecue sauce, if using, and mix to combine. If you’re not using barbecue sauce, use a spoon to skim and discard the fat from the surface of the strained cooking liquid, and then add 1/4 cup of the liquid at a time to the slow cooker until the pork is just moistened. Taste and season with salt as needed.

Serves 8 – 12.