50 Best Plants on the Planet (11 page)

2
.
In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and honey until combined.

3
.
Divide the cherry-berry mixture into eight small bowls. Top each with a dollop of the yogurt mixture. If desired, garnish each serving with a small sprig of mint.

The only thing difficult about quinoa is its pronunciation. Pronounced KEEN-wah, it cooks up fast and easy. Boil it in water or broth for
10
minutes. Then let it rest, covered, for another
4
minutes for al dente crunch or about
7
minutes to bring the tasty seeds to a softer state. The longer heating makes the seeds fluffier but still pleasingly chewy. The red-hued quinoa variety is called for in this breakfast treat, but the white or black varieties (or a mixture) work well, too.

Yields
5
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
230

fat calories
60

total fat (g)
7

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
15

total carbohydrates (g)
35

fiber (g)
4

sugars (g)
6

protein (g)
8

vitamin A IUs
8
%

vitamin C
10
%

calcium
6
%

iron
15
%

1 cup red quinoa (
see Cook's Note
)

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼
cup slivered almonds

⅓
cup diced mixed dried fruit, such as apricots, figs, peach, mango, and papaya

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼
cup plain fat-free Greek-style yogurt

1 cup fresh blackberries

1
.
Put the quinoa and
2
cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on high heat. Cover and decrease the heat to medium-low. Simmer until tender and the water is absorbed, about
10
minutes. Gently stir and set off the heat, covered, for
4
minutes.

2
.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet on high heat. Add the almonds and cook on medium heat until golden, shaking the skillet to redistribute the nuts as they lightly brown, about
1
½
minutes. Add the dried fruit, syrup, and cinnamon; stir and cook until heated through. Add the quinoa and gently toss.

3
.
Divide the quinoa mixture between five bowls. Place small scoops of yogurt in the center of each serving. Surround with the blackberries.

COOK'S NOTE
In its natural state, quinoa is coated with bitter saponins. Most quinoa sold in North America has been processed to remove the coating, so it doesn't need rinsing. Check the cooking instructions on the package to see if they direct you to rinse the quinoa before cooking. If buying in bulk or if package advises rinsing, rinse quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer under running water for about
45
seconds. Shake handle rigorously to remove excess water.

Bok choy offers such an appealing mix of taste and texture. Whether a
16
-inch mature or a petite
7
-inch “baby” head, both stalks and leaves are delicious. The stems are celery-like, both juicy and crisp. The leaf's flavor profile varies, some weighing in with a sweet vegetal taste, others edged with peppery spice.

Choy
, Chinese for “cabbage,” is a major food staple throughout Asia. It has a good nutrition profile and the ability to grow throughout the year in poor soil and weather conditions.

The rich green leaves draw a lot of vitamins and minerals from those stressful conditions, especially calcium for bone and cardiovascular health and iron for muscle and red blood cell building. Vitamins A, C, and Kare abundant, as well as folate and vitamin B
₆
(pyridoxine).

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(
1
cup shredded, raw)

calories
10

fat calories
0

total fat (g)
0

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
45

total carbohydrates (g)
2

fiber (g) less than
1

sugars (g)
0

protein (g)
1

vitamin A IUs
40
%

vitamin C
50
%

calcium
8
%

iron
4
%

While folate helps protect the heart and prevent neural tube defects during fetal development, vitamin B
₆
helps nerve cells and red blood cells develop and function.

It also helps keep the figure trim; the fiber in bok choy increases satiety while the B
₆
helps regulate glucose production. Hormone function also relies on B
₆
, especially the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. All this for only about
10
calories per cup!

Year-round

Look for crisp stalks with no discoloration and bright green leaves that are not wilted. Refrigerate unwashed in perforated bags up to
5
days.

Trim and discard a shallow slice off the base of the stalks, trimming off the tough, sometimes discolored portion but leaving the stalks attached. Most often bok choy is washed with the stalks still attached at the base, either quartered lengthwise for large bok choy, or halved for smaller bok choy. Wash in large amounts of cold water, gently swirling to expose the leaves to water. If using raw, drain well and pat dry. Often bok choy quarters or halves are steamed with plenty of water still clinging to the leaves.

Bok choy can be eaten raw, combined with mild-flavored greens in salads. For a simple cooking approach, soak
3
quartered large bok choy or
6
halved baby bok choy in large amounts of cold water. Meanwhile, heat
1
½
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil on medium-high heat in a large, deep skillet. Add
1
garlic clove (minced) and
1
tablespoon minced fresh ginger; stir-fry until they begin to soften, about
30
seconds. Drain and add the wet bok choy in an even layer. Add
1
tablespoon oyster sauce,
2
tablespoons sodium-reduced soy sauce, and
1
teaspoon Asian sesame oil. Cover and cook for
5
minutes. If desired, add a pinch of dried red pepper flakes. Gently toss. Serve with the pan sauce spooned on top.

Coarsely chop
1
large head of halved, washed bok choy. Heat
1
½
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add the bok choy and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. If the bok choy is wet from washing, you may not need to add any water, but if dry, add
⅓
cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the stalks are tender and the liquid evaporates, about
10
minutes. Spoon into four shallow bowls and top each with a scrambled egg, chopped chives, and shaved Parmesan.

Coarsely chop
4
quartered, washed baby bok choy. Heat
1
tablespoon extravirgin olive oil in a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add the bok choy and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for
1
minute. If the bok choy is wet from washing, you may not need to add any water, but if dry, add
¼
cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the stalks are tender and the liquid evaporates, about
10
minutes. Let cool. Wring out the excess water by squeezing one handful at a time and put the bok choy in a food processor. Add
¼
cup fresh basil; process until finely chopped. Add
½
cup ricotta cheese and
3
tablespoons evaporated skim milk; pulse to combine. Heat
1
tablespoon butter or extra-virgin olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the bok choy mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until hot. Use as a topping for baked potatoes.

Coarsely chop
4
or
5
quartered, washed baby bok choy. Heat
1
tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add the bok choy and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for
1
minute. If the bok choy is wet from washing, you may not need to add any water, but if dry, add
⅓
cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the stalks are tender and the liquid evaporates, about
10
minutes. Remove from the skillet. On medium-high heat, add
1
teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil and
1
teaspoon minced fresh ginger to the skillet. Cook for
30
seconds. Stir in
1
tablespoon yellow miso,
1
tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine),
1
½
tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar, a pinch of dried red pepper flakes, and
1
½
tablespoons water; stir rigorously to combine. Return the bok choy to the skillet; toss. Heat through and serve.

Ringed with cooked baby bok choy, this salad makes a colorful presentation on a buffet table. It is made using Arborio rice, the plump Italian variety that is the basis of risotto. Then it's tossed with lemony vinaigrette. If desired, use only two-thirds of the dressing in the salad, offering leftover dressing on the side. For a vegetarian version, simply omit the chicken.

Yields
8
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving, using all the vinaigrette)

calories
300

fat calories
100

total fat (g)
12

sat fat (g)
1.5

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
500

total carbohydrates (g)
44

fiber (g)
4

sugars (g)
3

protein (g)
7

vitamin A IUs
60
%

vitamin C
15
%

calcium
4
%

iron
6
%

About 1
½
teaspoons canola oil

2 large garlic cloves, minced

8 to 10 baby bok choy (about 1
½
pounds), halved lengthwise, soaked in cold water

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

¼
cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1
½
teaspoons Dijon mustard

¼
cup extra-virgin olive oil