Gumbo recipe

Shampres
Shampres Posts: 64 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have friends who really, really love gumbo in an unnatural way. It's not my thing, but I love to cook for people. I know a roux base isn't particularly healthy. Would anyone like to share a healthy/light version of gumbo, not as a splurge meal, but as a meal that I can use as part of my regular meal rotation?

Thanks, y'all!

Replies

  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    I just use less roux and less oil in the roux and allow for it in my cals.
  • aedavidson79
    aedavidson79 Posts: 11 Member
    I personally haven’t used this recipe but I think it answers your question. If you use it let me know how it was.

    From The Little Gumbo Book by Gwen McKee, pgs. 14, 49:

    Ingredients:
    Lean and Mean Chicken Gumbo
    2-3 lbs chicken breasts
    K’s Cajun Seasoning (made with lite salt, or lite salt and pepper) [This is the ”seasoned flour”]
    2 tablespoons low fat margarine, divided
    2 cups cut okra (fresh or frozen)
    1 cup tomatoes, chopped (fresh or canned)
    1 cup chopped onions
    3 tablespoons Oven Baked Dried Roux [directions below]
    3 quarts water
    ½ teaspoon red pepper
    Steamed rice

    Directions for Gumbo pg. 49: Skin and wash chicken breasts. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour. In large, heavy pot, sear chicken 1 ½ tablespoons of margarine. Remove chicken to plate. Fry onion and okra in remaining 1 ½ tablespoon margarine, then stir in tomatoes and roux. Debone chicken, cut into bite-size pieces, and return to pot. Add water and seasoning. Bring to a slight boil, then simmer, covered, at least an hour. Serve over ½ cup of hot rice. Makes 8-12 bowls.

    Directions for Oven Baked Dried Roux pg. 14: Simply distribute 2-6 cups of flour evenly over the dry bottom of a big iron skillet or heavy Dutch oven and put in a 400-degree oven for about an hour. Stir it about every 15 minutes or so to brown evenly. Let cool and store in a jar.

    To Use Roux pg. 14: Simply mix equal parts dry roux and water till smooth. Add to gumbo, soups, gravy for thickening. Perfect and you haven’t used any grease at all!
  • Shampres
    Shampres Posts: 64 Member
    This looks great! Thank you so much! I'll definitely report back once I make it.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    Hey! That's neat. I think I'll try that if there is already enough fat in the dish. Thanks for the tip.
  • StephCoff1969
    StephCoff1969 Posts: 357
    Bump
  • TXtstorm
    TXtstorm Posts: 163 Member
    We have made the following Cooking Light recipe before:

    http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/smoky-shrimp-chicken-gumbo-50400000116793/

    It wasn't the best gumbo I've ever had, but it was enjoyable and I'd make it again. I'd say with our cooking style that it is likely that we played with the amounts of spices until we liked what we tasted. Be careful in selecting Creole or Cajun commerical blends because many have WAY too much salt to other flavorful ingredients. My family lives off of a bayou just on the west side of the Texas-Louisiana state line, so we also favor filé added to the pot or our bowls. Filé is a seasoning made from ground dried sassafras leaves.

    Serving is one cup of gumbo over 1/4 cup of rice, 326 calories.

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