Versatile Veggie Sauté

When the Week 1 basket of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) veggies arrived and I spied bok
choi, I immediately started thinking of stir-fry, miso, hoisin, and a host of other Asian cuisine staples. The Husband is not a huge fan of bok choi like I am, so I figured it was my duty to use as much as possible (see more along this line here soon).

For me that largely means 'lunch bowls'. And by chopping and cooking enough veggies all at once, I could quickly whip up different variations on the theme for a few days in a row.  It also gave me an excuse to try out this 'gluten-free ramen' pack that I bought on an impulsive, empty stomach.

Now, I understand that by definition 'gluten-free' cannot not equal 'ramen' - lets just say I was seduced by the marketing - as what you end up with is rice noodles, fancy rice noodles compressed to look like the instant noodles that you had for lunch in junior high, and a far cry from what any purist would even consider to be ramen.

I was further seduced by the purple noodles of the 'forbidden rice' variety, thinking they'd make for an exotic lunchtime treat.  I was equally impressed by the short and pronounceable list of ingredients in the seasoning package that came with. So enough reason to give it a try.

Well, as is often the case, my idea of what something will be like is much more optimistic (and tasty) than what actually appears.  While the noodles were indeed a becoming shade, the resulting broth was not - largely due to all the starch from the noodles being left there to make a bit of a cloudy mess.  The directions did not say to drain before adding the 'flavor' package to the water, but I'd almost consider starting with fresh hot water for the broth, while it would take longer.

Regardless, I was happy that I had already decided to bump up the nutritional value with a mix of sauteed veggies and some baked tofu. Not only did they help to add freshness and crunch, but also color. Gotta remember we eat with our eyes first!

So that just goes to show how a quick and easy assemblage of whatever sturdy veggies you have on hand can be a great addition to dishes of many different stripes - noodles, soup or rice to name a few - whether you meant to add them or not.

Versatile Veggie Sauté

Makes about 2 cups | Infinitely scalable

The key is to slice the veggies in a manner which will be easy to eat and quick to cook, without loosing their texture.  In this case I sliced most things thinly with by knife, but pulled out the mandoline slicer to quickly and uniformly dispatch the carrots. Alternatively, you could cut them into matchsticks, they just might need a little longer to cook.  Vary the order you add the veggies according to the ones you are cooking with - sturdier ones first, delicate last - even if that means treating one vegetable two ways as is the case with the stems and greens of the bok choi.

Special note for the bok choi:

• Separate the greens from the wider, thicker portions of the stems
• Cut the stems on the bias in 1/4'' to 1/2'' chunks
• Chop the greens

Into a medium-hot sauté pan, add:

• A drizzle of good oil (I used sesame)
• 1/2 a sweet onion, diced
• 1 stem green garlic, sliced (can sub a garlic clove)
• 3 large crimini mushrooms, sliced

Sauté until just softened, then and add:

• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 4 bok choi stems, bias cut

Add any seasonings that appeal: salt & pepper, or wheat-free tamari are good choices depending on where you see the veggies landing.

When veggies are all almost done to your liking, add:

• bok choi tops, chopped
• 2 radishes, sliced (alternately, leave off the radish for garnish)

Taste the dish and add any additional seasonings. Keeping it more modest makes the veggies more versatile, but if you are committed to going a certain direction for a couple of dishes, then why not add some gluten-free, vegetarian hoisin or teriyaki sauce (San J is a good brand for this) or alternatively stir in a tablespoon of miso paste.

Use half of the veggies to dress your ramen bowl, top with radish (if using for garnish) and protein of choice.

Use the other half for another 'lunch bowl' delight, such as on rice, with sesame and topped with cashews as pictured below. I guess you could always share too.

Use Veggies for a Rice Bowl Too