Originally from Africa, okra is now widely used in cuisines such as Caribbean, Creole, Cajun and Indian. Ridged along its length, the green, slightly fuzzy pod contains rows of edible seeds that release a sticky liquid when chopped and cooked, which has led to it being used to thicken soup and stew recipes, such as Cajun gumbo, but it’s also served whole as a side dish. Its flavor is quite subtle, so it benefits from being cooked with strong, spicy ingredients!

Preparation

Wash and dry. If you are serving the okra whole as a side dish, and don’t want the liquid to be released during the cooking, trim around the stalks in a cone shape, so that the pod isn’t pierced. If you do want to release the liquid, chop or slice thickly or thinly, according to your recipe.

Farms that grow Okra

Ho Farms

Recipes 

Grilled Okra and Tomato Skewers 

Sauteed Okra and Tomatoes

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Rambutans are native to the Malay-Indonesian region of Southeast Asia. The fruit is closely related to the lychee, longan, and mamoncillo. The name rambutan is derived from the Malay-Indonesian language word for ‘hair’ (rambut) due to its numerous hairy protuberances or spines. The fruit has a red, leathery skin with the fleshy spines. The flesh is translucent to white with a single seed. The peeled fruits can be enjoyed raw with a sweet flavor similar to grapes. The seed is also edible and the whole fruit can also be cooked.

How to eat Rambutan:

Rambutan can be eaten raw or cooked. The fruit can be cut open or the rind can be bitten into. Once the rind is cut, the fruit can be pried open and the inner flesh squeezed or popped out.

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Mangosteen is an exotic, tropical fruit with a delicious sweet and slightly sour flavor. The fruit is sometimes referred to as purple mangosteen because of the deep purple color rind that develops when ripe. Mangosteen is viewed as a relatively obscure fruit but it can offer many health benefits due to its rich supply of nutrients, fiber, and unique antioxidants. Mangosteen is low in calories yet provides many essential nutrients such as fiber, protein, and Vitamin C.

Mangosteen is easy to prepare and eat! The inner flesh is white and very juicy when ripe. This part of the fruit can be eaten raw or added to smoothies or tropical fruit salads for a delicious boost of flavor.

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The tomatillo also known as the husk tomato, is a plant of the nightshade family. The plant bears small, spherical, green or greenish/purple fruit.

Tomatillos look very much like green, unripe tomatoes. They are wrapped around with a dry, leafy husk. The color of the fruit is a beautiful bright green, which fades a bit once you cook them. These fruits have a slightly more acidic, a little less sweet flavor than traditional tomatoes. The flavor is more generally vegetal and the interior texture is denser and less watery than a tomato.

Prepping a tomatillo is very easy! The husks can be easily removed with your hands and discarded. Be sure to do a  quick rinse under warm water. There are many ways to enjoy tomatillos. They can be enjoyed raw, cooked with your favorite dishes, roasted, grilled or sautéed.

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The Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) is one of the oldest vegetables known to mankind. Sweet potatoes originated in Central and South America, but archaeologists have found proof through prehistoric remnants that the sweet potato was grown in Polynesia before western exploration, according to radiocarbon dating. Current thinking is that it was brought to central Polynesia around 700 AD, possibly by Polynesians who had traveled to South America and back, and spread across Polynesia to Hawaii and New Zealand from there.  

The sweet potato is not a potato, and it is not a yam! They’re far higher in nutrients than many people realize too, though shouldn’t be eaten as the only vegetable. Consider the sweet potato high in fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Manganese, among many others. It can help boost brain function, stabilize blood sugar, enhance immune system, and it promotes vision health.

Preparation

The simplest way you can prepare a sweet potato is by first heating the oven to 400° F. Pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes. Make a slit in the top of each sweet potato. 

Farms that grow sweet potato

Aloun Farms

Recipes

Baked Sweet Potato Fries 

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