As a child, I didn’t eat many vegetables unless they were raw. Looking back now, I realize the reason I thought I hated vegetables was because they were cooked to death. Mushy green beans? Nope. Limp broccoli? Hard pass.
It wasn’t until my early 30s that I discovered vegetables could actually taste good when they were cooked properly. Fast forward to now at 58 years old, and while I still struggle to get enough veggies in some days, one thing that always inspires me is visiting the farmer's market.
On my last trip to the farmers market, I met Jess from Adama Farm. They are a no-till farm, which helps improve soil health, and they are also a no-spray farm. Their produce was absolutely gorgeous, but the bok choy especially caught my eye with its bright green leaves and crisp stems.
Jess told me she likes eating the thicker bok choy stems raw, almost like chips dipped into hummus. While that sounded delicious, I immediately knew I wanted to turn those beautiful leaves into fried rice.
Stir fry and fried rice is honestly one of the easiest ways for me to get vegetables into my meals. You can pack so much flavor into one skillet, and the vegetables keep their texture and freshness.
This bok choy fried rice comes together in about 15 minutes and makes the perfect quick weeknight dinner.
Bok Choy Fried Rice
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
1 cup frozen cauliflower rice
1/2 cup cooked white rice
3 ounces cooked chicken breast (or protein of choice)
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
3 leaves bok choy, chopped
1 tablespoon stir fry sauce
1 teaspoon chili crisp
Avocado oil spray
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with avocado oil spray.
- Add the frozen cauliflower rice and cook for 4 minutes.
- Push the cauliflower rice to one side of the skillet and add the mushrooms. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the chicken, cooked rice, stir fry sauce, and bok choy leaves. Cook for 2 more minutes, or just until the bok choy starts to wilt.
- Plate and drizzle with chili crisp before serving.
Tips & Tricks for Cooking with Bok Choy
Don’t overcook it.
Bok choy cooks really quickly. The leaves only need a minute or two to wilt while keeping their bright green color and slight crunch.
Separate the stems and leaves if needed.
The stems take slightly longer to cook than the leaves. If you want perfectly cooked bok choy, add the stems first and the leafy greens at the very end.
Wash it well. Bok choy can trap dirt between the layers near the stem, so make sure to rinse it thoroughly before chopping.
The stems are crisp and refreshing raw. They’re great dipped into hummus or chopped into salads for extra crunch.
Want to Learn More About Cooking with Seasonal Ingredients?
If you love cooking with fresh produce, check out some of the amazing classes at The Chopping Block.
The Taste of Thailand class is Tuesday, June 9 at 6pm and the menu sounds incredible:
- Tom Kha Gai (Spicy Chicken and Coconut Milk Soup)
- Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
- Shrimp Pad Thai
- Mango and Lime Jasmine Rice Pudding
Another fun option is the new Farmers Market Tour and Cooking Demo on Thursday, June 11 at 5:30pm, where you shop at the farmers market with one of our chefs and then head back to cook everything together. Honestly, that sounds like my kind of night!
Whether you’re trying to eat more vegetables or just looking for a quick weeknight dinner, this bok choy fried rice is simple, flavorful, and a great way to use fresh farmers’ market produce.
