Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice delivers a flood of fresh flavor and nutrients! Spicy or tame, this dish has your name written all over it!
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice
Baby Bok Choy
Say hello to my little friend. Okay it sounds much better when Al Pacino says it! But it’s true that baby bok choy, my newest culinary friend, comes to the table with its nutritional guns blazing.
Since my surgery I have been trying to flood my body with as many nutrients and antioxidants as possible. As a result I am feeling great and I don’t want this feeling to end. I’ve really opened up to trying new food.
Variety is the spice of life, and I know that if I don’t change up my personal menu I will start choosing fewer healthier options. Enter baby bok choy.
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice – Vegetables
Baby Bok Choy is a cruciferous veggie. Sometime referred to as Chinese cabbage. It has gained a reputation for being one of the top veggies for nutrient density. That means that calorie-for-calorie you are getting more nutrients than with the average vegetable.
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice – Chopped Bok Choy
The Joy of Bok Choy
It is packed with vitamins A, C, and K. One cup provides over 100 percent of your RDA of vitamin A and 75% of vitamin C. Also loaded with heavy hitter minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. The list goes on.
Here are some of its super powers:
- Contains antioxidants which reduce inflammation by protecting cells from free radicals;
- Helps treatment and prevention of cancer;
- Boosts the immune system;
- Promotes eye, skin and hair health;
- Strengthens bones.
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice – Riced Cauliflower and Carrots
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice – Sauteed Ginger, Garlic and Scallions
Baby Bok Choy Versus Adult Bok Choy
Is there a difference? Yep! I first started using baby bok choy in my Bounce Back Detox Juice. I prefer baby bok choy over adult bok choy because it has a milder and sweeter flavor. The texture is also tenderer due to its young age. With its impressive list of nutrients I knew I wanted to find other ways to get more of it in my diet.
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice – Sauteing
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice
So I used one of bok choy’s equally impressive cohorts as a base: cauliflower. Cauliflower rice to be specific. (To see all that cauliflower has to offer check out my post for Cauliflower “Egg” Salad)
I added garlic, fresh ginger, scallions, carrots, coconut aminos (vegan soy sauce may be substituted) and of course a generous portion of baby bok choy.
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice – Ready to Eat
I tend to like things on the spicy side so I also added some red pepper flakes. This was the finishing touch that brought the dish together for me. But if you don’t (or can’t) eat red pepper flakes you can omit them or substitute a small amount of chili powder. Either way I have to say this dish is the jam!
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice
Bok Choy Serving Suggestions
This dish makes an excellent side. I ate it along with a giant green leaf salad dressed in an avocado oil vinaigrette. Since the rice is actually cauliflower, it also makes a nice main dish served over white beans or lentils prepared with vegetable broth.
Enjoy! Want to try another cauliflower rice dish that is da bomb? Check out my Eggplant Cauliflower Dirty Rice or my Black Beans and Cauliflower Rice.
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice
Zesty Bok Choy Cauliflower Rice delivers a flood of fresh flavor and nutrients! Spicy or tame, this dish has your name written all over it!
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups riced cauliflower (if making your own riced cauliflower, instructions for ricing can be found here).
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 scallions diced
- 3 to 4 large cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 2 large carrots peeled and chopped in circles
- 5 heads baby bok choy cut in 1 inch strips omitting ends (heads are usually 4 to 5 inches long with 4 to 5 leaves)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or vegan soy sauce)
- finely ground sea salt and black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes minced (may substitute chili powder if spicy dish is not desired)
Instructions
- Cut off core ends of baby bok choy (see pic in post), separate leaves and wash. Set aside to dry. Cut in one inch strips.
- 1) Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium to medium high heat. Saute diced or minced scallions, garlic, fresh ginger and red pepper flakes (or chili powder if substituting) until aromatic (about 2 to 3 minutes).
- 2) Add cauliflower rice to pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper (to taste preference), stir together with scallion mixture and cook about 3 to 5 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until cauliflower begins to change color. Add carrots, mix together and cook about 5 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until carrots begin to get tender.
- 3) Add baby bok choy to cauliflower rice mixture and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Add one to two tablespoons coconut aminos or vegan soy sauce. (I used one tablespoon but if you prefer a more dominate umami flavor and more moisture, use two tablespoons). Stir together and saute until bok choy begins to soften (about 2 to 3 minutes). Serve immediately. Leftovers may be refrigerated and reheated the next day.
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