I’ve always liked bok choy and other cruciferous vegetables, but since acquiring a tower garden, which makes it so easy to grow, I’ve developed even more of a passion for this super healthy veggie. Some easy recipes follow below.
Besides being delicious, vegetables in this family have certain anti-cancer properties.
See the National Cancer Institute for information on how these vegetables may help to prevent cancer.
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Harvest is easy with a tower garden.
Bok choy contains folate that plays a role in the production and repair of DNA. It also contains vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. These nutrients have powerful antioxidant properties that help protect cells against damage by free radicals.
Bok choy contains something most other vegetables do not — the mineral selenium which can help prevent inflammation. Because of the many vitamins in bok choy, it also helps with reducing high blood pressure and contributes to bone health.
Bok choy ready for harvesting or waiting for larger leaves.
If you’re a data geek, According to the (USDA) National Nutrient Database, 1 cup of raw bok choy, weighing 70 grams (g) contains:
- 9 calories
- 1.05 g of protein
- 1.53 g of carbohydrates
- 0.7 g of dietary fiber
- 0 g of cholesterol
- 0.067 g of polyunsaturated fat
- 74 mg of calcium
- 0.56 mg of iron
- 13 mg of magnesium
- 26 mg of phosphorus
- 176 mg of potassium
- 46 mg of sodium
- 0.13 mg of zinc
- 31.5 mg of vitamin C
- 46 micrograms (mcg) of folate
- 156 mcg of vitamin A (RAE)
- 31.9 mcg of vitamin K
One of the advantages of growing bok choy in a tower is that the snails and other winter garden bugs will have a harder time finding it. It does so well in our northern California climate in the winter along with the other cool weather crops like peas and spinach.
Here is a quick and easy way to use bok choy.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat, and cook a few garlic cloves sliced or chopped in the hot oil until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Mix in 6 to 8 heads of trimmed bok choy (bite-sized pieces) and cook and stir until the green parts of the leaves turn bright green and the stalks become slightly translucent. Sprinkle with salt and lemon juice if desired before serving.
Use as a bed for baked salmon or roasted chicken.
Here is another way to use bok choy.
10 Minute Lemon Garlic Sauteed Bok Choy
1 pound baby bok choy
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt
Half of a lemon, cut into wedges
Remove any discolored outer stalks of the bok choy and discard them (or save for stock later). Place the bok choy into a colander and rinse with cool water, rubbing any grit or dirt from between the leaves. Trim the ends then slice each bok choy in half lengthwise. Or if they are large, cut into quarters. Pat dry.
Add the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes to a wide room-temperature skillet. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to bubble around the garlic, but before the garlic starts to turn light brown.
Toss in the boy choy and spread into one layer. Sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon of salt then cook, without stirring, until the bottom is starting to turn brown, about 2 minutes.
Flip then cook another 2 minutes or until the green leaves have wilted and the white bottoms are beginning to soften, but still have some crunch.
Transfer to a platter then squeeze 2 lemon wedges on top. A teaspoon or so of olive oil is nice, too. Serve with more lemon wedges on the side.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Add Your Favorite Protein: To turn this into a main dish, add cooked chicken, shrimp or tofu. Season the protein with salt and pepper then cook until almost cooked through. Add the garlic, pepper flakes and the bok choy then cook until the green tops have wilted and the bottoms are crisp-tender. Finish with the lemon and olive oil.
- Nutrition Facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values. We omitted salt from the calculations since you will need to add to your tastes.
A pump in the reservoir pushes the nutrient solution to the top of the tower. The nutrient solution evenly cascades over the exposed plant roots.
Aside from checking water levels and cleaning the pump filter, the aeroponic Tower Garden® will take care of itself. And in just a few short weeks, you’ll be enjoying abundant homegrown produce, harvested at its peak (so you can be at yours).
Gwen O’Neill has been a gardener for over 40 years and has always been a passionate cook. Her own health challenges led her to experiencing a variety of healing modalities. After finding that her health improved with eating more whole food and improving her nutrition using a real, whole food based supplement called Juice Plus, she committed to sharing this experience with others. The Tower Garden by Juice Plus makes it easy to grow produce right outside your kitchen door.
Juice Plus real food!
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