Garlicky Sauteed Baby Bok Choy

With the first official day of summer for my kids, they woke up much later than usual. Our weekdays starts at 6:00 a.m. – but they took advantage of the first day out of school and slept until around 9:00 a.m. then requesting a Homemade Gourmet style breaksfast – one says cinnamon buns, another says omelette, then I hear blueberry pancakes with blueberry syrup.. They all agreed on the pancakes. So I replied  “Sounds good..Who’s making them?”  They looked at each other then at me and simultaneously said “PLEASE”.. But they all got bagels. No time.. no time.. I had to remind them Mom & Dad actually work all day while you are in school and that just because school is out for them, doesn’t mean work is out for us.

I am going to share with you a SUPER quick and easy sautéed bok choy recipe.  There are so many different ways to cook and flavor bok choy.  It can be prepared Grilled, sautéed, steamed, raw, roasted, stir fried, etc. With 101 things on Mondays to do list  I am in a bit of a hurry so we picked the sauté way.  I love this recipe and my kids love to add this sautéed bok choy to their ramen noodles.

Also known as Chinese white cabbage, Bok Choy is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, and a good source of folate. This tasty cabbage is low calorie, and low carb, and also contains potassium and vitamin B6. Bok Choy is also known to be rich in beta-carotene which can help to reduce the risk of certain cancers and cataracts. While buying Bok Choy, look for dark green, glossy leaves and bright white stalks. All parts are edible. Avoid heads with brown spots on the leaves. Bok Choy can be served raw in salads or is best in soups.  Add to any stir-fry—you can cut them up into 1-inch sections, add the thicker stems into the frying pan first, followed by the leaves.

There is Baby Bok Choy and regular Bok Choy.  I used Baby Bok Choy, If you cannot find it or only have the regular – then definitely chop it up instead of cutting in half like I did

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Bok Choy Facts:

from: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/bok-choy-10-healthy-facts

Bok Choy’s Name

Bok choy is sometimes referred to as white cabbage, not to be confused with Napa cabbage, which is also a type of Chinese cabbage. There are many kinds of bok choy that vary in color, taste, and size, including tah tsai and joi choi.

Bok Choy’s Family

Bok choy might look a lot like celery, but it’s a member of the cabbage family.

Bok Choy History

The Chinese have been cultivating the vegetable for more than 5,000 years.

Bok Choy Cultivation

Although the veggie is still grown in China, bok choy is now also harvested in California and parts of Canada.

Cooking with Bok Choy

Bok choy, known for its mild flavor, is good for stir-fries, braising, and soups and can also be eaten raw.

Cleaning Bok Choy

The leaves and the stalks can both be cooked, but should be separated before washing to ensure that both parts are thoroughly cleansed.

Keeping Bok Choy

For optimal freshness, don’t wash bok choy until you’re ready to use. Unused parts can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to six days.

Bok Choy Vitamins

The veggie is packed with vitamins A and C — one cup of cooked bok choy provides more than 100% of the recommended dietary allowance of A, and close to two-thirds the RDA of C.

Growing Bok Choy

The veggie takes about two months from planting to harvest and thrives best in milder weather.