10-Minute Side Dish: Bok Choy

10 minute side dish, Asian, Low-carb, My Tasteful Life, Paleo, Stir-fry, vegetables

Bok choy with teriyaki glazed Sea Bass.

Bok choy is a Chinese cabbage that lends itself to being sautéed over high heat. It’s a delicious vegetable that you can find in most grocery stores, and I think it’s a great alternative to my regular green side dishes.

I really love baby bok choy because of its delicate taste and texture. But the regular variety is just as good and easier to find. To prep bok choy, remove the lowest, hardest white part where all the leaves connect. Rinse with water and pat dry. Then slice into 1/2″ strips, including the leaves.

The rest is up to you. The recipe below calls for a quick sauté with ginger, garlic and onion, but you can add it to stir fry or even roast it in the oven. Bok choy works with any protein, so instead of green beans or sugar snap peas, grab some bok choy this week. Try it once, and I’m sure you’ll be adding it to your vegetable rotation.

Ingredients

1 large head of bok choy or 3 heads of baby bok choy

1/2 red onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional – reduce or remove if you don’t like heat)

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos

1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Process

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat for 30 to 60 seconds. Then stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add onion and cook for another minute. Then add all of the bok choy.

Cook, stirring regularly, for 6 minutes. Turn heat to high, add the soy sauce or coconut aminos, and the red pepper flakes. Continuously stir for another minute. Turn off heat and let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Summertime Marinades: Soy Spring

Chicken, grilling, Marinade, Paleo, pork, Seafood, Shellfish

The Soy Spring recipe below works with virtually all food. Those strictly adhering to a Paleo diet can easily substitute Coconut Aminos for the soy sauce. However, for me, the amount is so small and it’s used as a marinade so I’m okay with cheating a little bit.

Soy Spring (best with vegetables, chicken, seafood, pork or thick-cut steak)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar can be substituted)

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (Coconut Aminos can be substituted)

2 tablespoons sweetener (local honey, agave or raw sugar)

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped (1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger can be substituted)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Process

Mix ingredients together in a bowl and place your protein into the mixture, and cover with lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 24 hours. Steak is the only exception, and it should only marinate for 30 minutes. Grill at 425 degrees until cooked through.

The Perfect Anti-Everything Smoothie

Anti-inflamatory, Cleanse, Paleo, Smoothies

After last week’s fried ravioli for the Final Four games, the holiday weekend, and the NCAA championships last night, it’s time to get back on track. My overindulgence is over! Smoothies are a great way to sneak extra fruit and vegetables into our diets, and we often feel “healthier” after we drink one. However, most of the smoothies sold at places like Tropical Smoothie or Jamba Juice contain more calories and sugar than people realize. And they are usually gigantic! Yet we justify their size because it’s replacing a meal. Umm…

A little over a year ago, I started making smoothies at home so that I could control their content. I’ve become pretty proficient at maximizing the flavor and effectiveness of my smoothie recipes while leaving out the extra calories and carbohydrates.

Today I want to share my favorite anti-everything smoothie. It’s an anti-inflammatory smoothie, an anti-oxidant smoothie, and (most importantly) an anti-aging smoothie. Every ingredient in this drink promotes health and proper digestion. I’m tempted to call this a “cleanse” smoothie but the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant components truly make this so much more. Below I’ve gone through the ingredients so you can see how each element affects your body.

Make this in the morning and start your day off right. You’ll feel energized, as well as cleansed and refreshed. This smoothie is also an amazing hangover cure, or so I’ve heard. Drink on, friends!

Oranges

An excellent source of vitamin C, oranges are great for the skin and immune system. They are also a good source of fiber, as well as B vitamins, folate, vitamin A, calcium and potassium.

Ginger

Ginger contains very potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols. It is commonly used to treat various stomach problems, while promoting digestion. It has been shown to reduce pain from arthritis and sore muscles, and can also help the respiratory system.

Radishes

Radishes are a natural cleansing agent for the digestive system, helping to break down and eliminate stagnant food and toxins built up over time. Radishes induce apoptosis – meaning they kill cancer cells. For those of us with more vain concerns, many of the nutrients found in radishes – such as B vitamins, zinc, phosphorus and vitamin C – benefit the skin. The water content helps the skin stay hydrated and the disinfectant properties can clear up skin problems such as cracks, rashes and dryness.

Mangos

The antioxidant zeaxanthin, found in mangoes, filters out harmful blue light rays and is thought to play a protective role in eye health. It also has plenty of vitamin K, which is key to bone health. Mangos are great for hair because they contain vitamin A and vitamin C, both of which are needed for building and maintaining collagen.

Mint

Mint has high antioxidant capacities. It smells great, tastes refreshing, and contains small amounts of potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin C and vitamin A.

Honey

Honey contains flavonoids, antioxidants which help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. It’s also a natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, and has been known to help treat seasonal allergies.

Ingredients

1/2 cup orange juice

2 medium radishes, sliced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 teaspoons honey

3 large mint leaves

1 mandarin orange or 1/2 orange, peeled

1/4 cup frozen mango

1/4 cup ice cubes

Instructions

Place all ingredients into the blender in the order listed. Blend at a high speed until everything is completely pureed, about 45 seconds. Drink immediately.

Asian Braised Green Beans

10 minute side dish, Asian, Green beans, meal plans, Paleo

With a little effort you can make side dishes more interesting, especially when you’re buying what’s in season. That ensures that your vegetables have reached their peak freshness and availability. Click here for a complete list of Florida vegetables by season.

On Wednesday I shared my Sautéed Spinach and Goat Cheese recipe, and I hope it encouraged you to pick up some of that inexpensive leafy green. It may seem a little flavorless, but by adding some fresh garlic and a touch of goat cheese, my family and I happily ate six cups of spinach last night.

Today I want to share my Asian Braised Green Beans because March brings tender snap beans (a.k.a. green beans). The key to this recipe is high heat. You want to almost blister the beans so that they cook fast without losing their crispiness. This is a delicious side item that works great with teriyaki chicken, steak or pork.

My go-to marinade is Veri Veri Teriyaki, and you should let your protein marinate for at least an hour and up to 24 hours before cooking. Then toss it onto a hot grill but be careful because most teriyaki marinades can cause excessive flames. Tip – use a piece of foil with cooking spray between your meat and grates. You will still get grill marks but won’t char your meat.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1-2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, finely chopped

1-2 tablespoons of garlic, finely chopped

1 pound green beans, ends trimmed

1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

Cooking

Heat wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oils and heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the green beans and red pepper flakes, and continue to sauté for 5 minutes. Carefully add the soy sauce and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring continually. Turn off the heat and serve immediately or keep covered until you’re ready to eat.

Fee-fi-Pho-YUM!

Chicken, kale, Leftovers, Paleo, soup, Swiss chard, vegetables

I’ve wanted to lighten things up a bit this week, so I decided to try the Chicken Pho recipe out of my new favorite cookbook, Paleo By Season. Pho (actually pronounced “Fuh”) is a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, herbs and meat. I’ve seen it served with noodles, but since I’m trying to cut my carbohydrates, this recipe doesn’t include them.

The key to this dish is the delicious broth. I’m not asking you to make your own “stock” but take the time to make the pho broth below. The delicate flavors add a depth that you will surely miss if you skip that step. Plus, once the broth is prepared, this meal only takes 10 more minutes before it’s ready to serve.

Trying out a new recipe also gave me the chance to buy some five-spice powder, which is a blend of anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppers and fennel seeds. This spice combination is commonly used in Asian preparation, especially in Chinese cuisine. I’ve seen it referenced in recipes before and luckily it’s readily available at most grocery stores.

I used fresh Swiss chard (a leafy relative of spinach) in this perfect Paleo dish because it was on sale. You can use spinach or even kale, but due to kale’s toughness, you need to cook it longer. I think the Swiss chard is perfect because its flavor and texture are similar to that of bok choy.

I’m also using leftover pulled chicken from the night before. Although it didn’t meet my “Meatless Monday” goal, its simplicity is a nice way to start off the week. This soup makes me feel like I’m reversing some of my previous weekend fun (I’m glad you can’t see my recycling bin!), and it encourages me to eat light to feel light.

Pho Broth

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion with only the outer skin removed, cut in half

1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, unpeeled

1 tablespoon five-spice powder

1 jalapeno, halved and seeded

8 cups chicken broth

Cooking

Broil onion and ginger in either the oven, grill or toaster oven for 20 minutes, slightly charring them. You want to make sure the outside of the onion and ginger turn brown. Place them with the halved jalapeno and five-spice powder in a pot and cover with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the onion, jalapeno and ginger from the broth and discard. Use the broth immediately or cover for later.

Chicken Pho

Ingredients

Pho broth (see above)

1-1/2 to 2 cups pulled chicken

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1/2 cup thinly sliced radish

1 cup white or button mushrooms, quartered

2 cups Swiss chard, spine removed

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 small jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced for garnish (optional)

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

3 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced for garnish (optional)

1 lime, cut into wedges

Cooking

Bring pho broth to a simmer over medium heat. Once it’s at a gentle simmer, add the carrots, radishes, mushrooms, and Swiss chard. Cook for 8 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil. Divide chicken among 4 bowls and top with broth and vegetables. Squeeze a wedge of lime over each bowl and use garnishes of your choice.