Veggie Gumbo…not half bad!

Well, so that I wouldn’t feel left out of the gumbo party, I decided to make my own vegetarian version.  Here’s the recipe:

Vegetarian Gumbo

1/2 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 tbsp. creole seasoning (I use Tony’s)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup frozen okra

2  cups vegetable broth

In a soup pot, saute onion and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add bell pepper and celery, cook another five minutes.  Add creole seasonings, cook a few more minutes.  Add frozen okra, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least thirty minutes.

Serve over white rice with crusty french bread!

YUM.

The verdict? It ain’t bad.  But it ain’t this:

Sigh.  Nothing beats my mom’s gumbo

Other eats of the night included appetizers (white bean sundried tomato crostini), salad with pomegranates, blue cheese, and brown sugar pecans, lots of BREAD, and homemade cranberry pecan bread pudding.  Can I just say YUM?

My mom sets a pretty table:

So, was the vegetarian gumbo as good as the duck gumbo?  I’m sure it wasn’t, not by a long shot.  But you know– it wasn’t that hard to pass it up, either!  My night was full of good food…and I certainly didn’t feel deprived or “left out.”  It kind of felt good to stick to my guns!

The verdict is still out on the race tomorrow.  We’ve decided that if it’s absolutely pouring, the race is out…but if it’s just drizzling, it’s on!

Hope you had a good night!  Take it easy!