Choosing the Ingredients
This simplified version of gumbo is quick and easy to make. Here are some key ingredients that made it healthier:
Hot Italian Turkey Sausage
Although gumbo is typically made with andouille sausage, a type of smoked sausage made with pork, we opted for hot Italian turkey sausage. Turkey sausage has less fat, calories and sodium.
Frozen Okra
For this recipe, we use frozen chopped okra as a thickener. Frozen chopped okra is convenient to use, boosts the veggie content of this dish, and is available all year round. Check out more tips for cooking okra.
Instant Brown Rice
Instead of serving the gumbo over white rice, we add nutrient-packed instant brown rice to the gumbo and simmer it until cooked through, which only takes about 10 minutes. Regular brown rice takes about 40 to 45 minutes to cook. If you opt to make regular brown rice, we have a guide on how to cook brown rice perfectly.
Additional reporting by Jan Valdez
