Vegan Gumbo | Blue Zones Loma Linda

This edition of Wellness Wednesday at CHOP features this beautiful Gumbo and Cornbread. Thank you Minal and Mimi for inviting me again to make a Blue Zones dish with you and your staff. It is a highlight of my week!
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Gumbo is traditionally served with lots of sausage, meats and seafoods but this one is 100% plant based. I was happy we choose to do this recipe to delve into more African cuisine. I was unfamiliar with Gumbo but after researching I found that the name “Gumbo” comes from the word okra in a Western African dialect. Gumbo is a mix of African, French and Native American cultures in perfect harmony, and an emblematic dish of New Orleans. 
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This was an introduction to me and southern cooking in general and I enjoyed it! Making it plant-based lowers the cooking time required and makes it especially nutritious. It’s served over rice or my favorite, cornbread.
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Here’s the adapted recipe from Blue Zone region, Loma Linda, California. Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to live to 100

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Vegan Gumbo 

TOTAL COOK TIME: 45 MINUTES | MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

Ingredients:

  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil 
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour 
  • 1½ large sweet onions (like Vidalia), chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced 
  • 3 bay leaves 
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (add 1/4-1/2 tsp. more for more heat)
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme 
  • 2 stalks celery, diced 
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced 
  • 4 cups vegetable stock 
  • ⅓ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 
  • 1½ cups cooked black-eyed peas (or one 15-ounce can, drained) 
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice 
  • 1 cup frozen cut okra 
  • 2 cups chopped spinach 
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 
  • Salt and pepper (optional. 1 tsp. salt recommended)

Directions: 

Make your roux: In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add flour, whisking until smooth. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, and then turn heat down to low and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until roux has become a light peanut butter color. Add onion and turn heat up to medium-low for about 5 minutes or onion is just soft. 
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Add garlic, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, celery, and red pepper. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat or until vegetables are tender. Then, stir in vegetable stock, turn the heat up and bring to a boil. 
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Once boiling, add corn, black-eyed peas, rice, and okra; lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. 
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Add spinach and parsley and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice or side of cornbread.
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This edition of Wellness Wednesday at CHOP features this beautiful Gumbo and Cornbread. Thank you Minal and Mimi for inviting me again to make a Blue Zones dish with you and your staff. It is a highlight of my week! . Gumbo is traditionally served with lots of sausage, meats and seafoods but this one is 100% plant based. I was happy we choose to do this recipe to delve into more African cuisine. I was unfamiliar with Gumbo but after researching I found that the name “Gumbo” comes from the word okra in a Western African dialect. Gumbo is a mix of African, French and Native American cultures in perfect harmony, and an emblematic dish of New Orleans. . This was an introduction to me and southern cooking in general and I enjoyed it! Making it plant-based lowers the cooking time required and makes it especially nutritious. It’s served over rice or my favorite, cornbread. . Here’s the recipe from Blue Zone region, Loma Linda, California. Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to live to 100 . Adventist Gumbo TOTAL COOK TIME: 45 MINUTES | MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil ⅓ cup all-purpose flour 1½ large sweet onions (like Vidalia), chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 3 bay leaves ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon dried thyme 2 stalks celery, diced 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced 4 cups vegetable stock ⅓ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 1½ cups cooked black-eyed peas (or one 15-ounce can, drained) 1 cup cooked brown rice 1 cup frozen cut okra 2 cups chopped spinach ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley Salt and pepper (optional) . Make your roux: In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add flour, whisking until smooth. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, and then turn heat down to low and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until roux has become golden in color. Add onion and turn heat up to medium-low for about 5 minutes. Cook until onion is just soft. . Add garlic, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, celery, and red pepper. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat or until vegetables are tender. Stir in vegetable stock, turn the heat up and bring to a boil. . Full recipe at www.shapeupfridge.com
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