Cate Nolan's "Bok Choy" For the Win!

Here is one of Cate Nolan's first posts! Yes, I will admit that I did not know what bok choy was... but Cate's got this canny eye for healthy foods (but I'll share my Veggie Straws with her anytime!!!) and she came on board Yankee Belle Cafe as the Healthy Writer....  And she's brought us lots of great ideas for incorporating healthy choices into good food! Here's a redoux of one:

Do you ever stand in the supermarket looking at the greens and have this feeling that you've been there, made them all before?

Ever had a longing for something a bit different?

I felt that way just tonight. I didn't want kale and spinach wasn't exactly what I was looking for (although I did settle for it).

How about bok choy?

I happened to notice the organic section of my supermarket selling packages of bok choy.

Our weekend farmer's market has it too.

I've often meant to investigate the health benefits of bok choy. I know bok choy is a Chinese cabbage, and I know that vegetables in the cabbage family are rich in health benefits, so I decided to do some research in the name of healthy eating (says she who is eating blueberry pie a la mode as she types this).

So,      bok choy.


From Wikipedia:
Chinese cabbage can refer to two distinct varieties of Chinese leaf vegetables used often in Chinese cuisine. These vegetables are both related to the Western cabbage, and are of the same species as the common turnip.

World’s Healthiest Foods offers this information about health benefits.

Did you know that bok choy (Chinese cabbage) is great for losing weight? One cup of cooked cabbage contains only 33 calories but supplies you with a wealth of health-promoting nutrients. Like its other cruciferous cousins, broccoli, kale. Brussels sprouts and mustard greens, cabbage is not only an excellent source of vitamin C and dietary fiber, but also contains the precursors for unique sulfur-containing phytonutrients, such as indole-3-carbinole (I3C) and sulforaphane, which are produced as a result of cutting, chewing or digesting cabbage . Cabbage’s sulfur compounds help activate and stabilize the body’s antioxidant and detoxification mechanisms, and, increase the liver’s ability to produce enzymes that neutralize potentially toxic substances.

 Bring on the bok choy!


I don’t know about you, but the main thing that keeps me from trying new vegetables is being clueless about how to prepare them.  

 This website gives very clear directions on How to Prepare Bok Choy.


WebMD (one of my favorite go to sites) shares 10 Facts about Bok Choy and includes a recipe for a healthy Sesame Asian Bok Choy Salad. The salad sounds delicious, but frankly after a long day teaching and then trying to make time to write in the evening, it appears to take too much effort. But your're welcome to try and let me know.

I tend to stick with some easier recipes.

Here’s a recipe for Stir-fried Bok Choy with garlic and ginger.

4 minutes sounds perfect to me!!!!  World’s Healthiest Foods has a recipe for 4 Minute Healthy Sauteed Bok Choy and shares The Healthiest Way of Cooking Bok Choy.


But if you love nuts, how about Baby Bok Choy with Cashews? The site specifically asks people not to repost the recipe, but to link instead, so if you think that sounds good, try looking here. 

The easiest way of all is just to stir fry with some garlic. You could add in a dash of lemon. I love that combination. Or, to make a meal, stir in some beef, chicken, shrimp, or tofu.  My choice is the shrimp. :)

Is Bok Choy a new to you vegetable or something you cook with regularly? Please share if you have any recipes.

Cate Nolan lives in New York City, but she escapes to the ocean any chance she gets. A devoted mom, wife and teacher, Cate loves to leave her real life behind and play with the characters in her imagination. She’s got that suspense writer gene that sees danger and a story in everyday occurrences. Cate particularly loves to write stories of faith enabling ordinary people to overcome extraordinary danger.