Hey, hey!! Long time, no talk! Did you miss me? Okay, do not answer that just in case you didn’t! 😉 But I sure missed all of you. It was so refreshing to take a week-long break from the blogging world and to disconnect from technology a bit, but I must say that I am glad to be back.
And I am coming back with a brand new concept: Magazine Monday. I have an endless stack of recipes from food, health, and fitness magazines just sitting in my apartment. I have mentioned this several times before, and I know that so many of you are experiencing the exact same problem! So, what are we to do about it? Well, start a monthly (or possibly bi-monthly..I have not decided yet), feature on my blog dedicated toward working through that stack of recipes, of course! It is time to quit talking about the recipes and to actually start cooking them!
(P.s. I apologize for the not-so-pretty pictures. My camera was just not cooperating!)
First up…a dish that I slightly adapted from the April 2013 issue of Women’s Health Magazine.
Magazine Monday
Bok Choy with Mushrooms and Red Bell Peppers
Servings: 2
Ingredients
5 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
3/4 tsp cornstarch
1 packet of Truvia (or other natural sweetener or sugar)
1 TB sesame oil
1 TB garlic, minced
1 TB fresh ginger, minced
1 head of bok choy, removed from stems and sliced
1 8 oz package sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
black pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1/8 cup chopped cashews
Directions
1. Whisk together the soy sauce, 1 tsp of sesame oil, cornstarch, and Truvia. Set aside.
2. In a large wok, heat sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add in garlic and ginger and cook for approximately one minute.
3. Stir in bok choy, mushrooms, peppers, and onions. Stir-fry for approximately five minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, but not mushy.
4. Add black pepper, red pepper flakes, and cashews. Cook an additional one to two minutes.
5. Serve over whole brown rice, if desired.
Surprisingly, this was the first time that I had ever cooked with bok chok, and it may have even been the first time that I had ever eaten it. I sure am glad that I gave it a go because it was a delicious and perfectly crunchy addition to the more traditional stir-fry. Plus, bok choy is so darn good for you, so you really cannot beat that! Click here to learn more information about some of the health benefits of bok choy.
My first experience with bok choy was a tasty one, and I am sure that the addition of mushrooms, peppers, and the delicious soy and sesame stir-fry sauce didn’t hurt, either! This dish definitely has a bit of a kick to it, so if you are not a spicy fan then I would omit the crushed red pepper flakes altogether. Oh, and the addition of cashews? Well, that was not in the original recipe, but since I have been so addicted to them lately I used them in place of the roasted sesame seeds that the original recipe called for. It was a swap that I most certainly did not regret making.
So, now I am putting the pressure on you! I know that you have your own stack of recipes that you have torn out of magazines but have yet to cook. No more excuses! It is time for you to participate in your own “Magazine Monday” and get cooking through that recipe collection. If your next magazine recipe creation turns out to be half as delicious as this dish was, then I know you will not regret it.
