It's Not Easy Being Green...Baby Bok Choy

On our quest to a healthier, 'greener' diet, we've been a bit stuck on edamame and swiss chard.  It was too easy to just keep buying the greens we've already tried rather than buy new ones.  Then one day, while browsing the massive produce department at Longo's, I came across Baby Bok Choy.  Like with Swiss Chard, I had seen it being cooked on numerous cooking shows, but had never attempted to cook (or eat) it myself.  From what I had seen on television, the most common way of cooking this leafy veggie was in a stir fry.

My craving for stir fry convinced me to buy it, and I am so glad that I did.  We were ready for something new and I couldn't wait to give it a try!

Here are some nutritional facts about bok choy:

• Bok choy is a member of the cabbage family, and is sometimes referred to as Chinese Cabbage.
• contain a high level of Vitamin C and significant amounts of indoles, a phytonutrient known to prevent cancer.
• Excellent sources of fibre, folate, beta-carotene and calcium.
• Can be cooked many different ways, including grilled, boiled, steamed and stir fried.

Baby bok choy cleaned, trimmed and ready to steam.

Steamed baby bok choy, ready to stir fry.

Not only did my husband love it (he's a fan of ALL veggies), but Big-A devoured it!  He has always enjoyed eating stir fry, favouring the chicken and vegetables over the rice.  But I was surprised to see that the bok choy was the first thing geone in his bowl.  Baby bok choy will now have a permanent spot in every stir fry that I make!  I also look forward to grilling it this summer!

Stir fry!

Big-A LOVED the baby bok choy - it was the first thing gone from his bowl!

To stir fry the baby bok choy, we started by trimming the stems, cutting each piece in half lengthwise, washing well and steaming for 5 minutes.  Once all of the other vegetables were cooked, we added the steamed baby bok choy to the pan, added a splash of soy sauce and combined with the other veggies.  You can also prepare it as a side dish to any meal, by sauteing with butter, garlic, salt and pepper.

Introducing unfamiliar vegetables to your family may surprise you - your children may end up loving them!  Give baby bok choy a try and you may just find a regular addition to your weekly meal plan.