Sauteed Bok Choy with Crispy Garlic: Loving the green

I'm not afraid to admit it. I'm obsessive about what goes into Daughters' and Son's bodies. I worry myself wondering if Daughters and Son are getting enough nutrition, wonder if they've eaten enough, mull over how to get them to eat more, how to get them to eat what I want them to eat. Close friends admire what they eat, saying they can't imagine their kids eating such things. Son's pediatrician confirmed that despite Son's numerous allergies, he continues to go up on the weight chart and is healthy as she could want.

I think I'm lucky however. I think Daughters and Son have a very well-balanced palate. They know and understand what tastes good and they also understand how to well balanced meal. (particularly Daughter #1.) I think part of it is something about the way they were made and the other part is how I've approached food with them. One thing that I have committed to - GREEN at every meal possible. I don't often get it in at breakfast, but I get it in at lunch and dinner. Daughters and son get a green vegetable, as much as possible, twice a day. Why do I do this? Because, if they see it, they will eventually eat it. I think NOT trying to expose kids to green veggies is a mistake -because they just get used to not seeing it. But the key is making green veggies easily (because it's an extra thing to cook) and tasty - my default? Veggies sauteed in oil with crispy garlic. Something about those crispy garlic chips gets my kids eating them. They'll eat spinach, broccoli, bok choy, pea shoots, gai lan (Chinese kale) - any number of green veggies as long as they are sauteed with the crispy garlic. The other trick is to CUT your vegetable so they aren't choking on them on the way down. This preparation is simple enough to make but tasty enough for adults to eat whatever kids don't. Don't be afraid of offering your kids something green every meal - the WORST they could do is try it and not like it (or not want to try it at all) but showing that your priority is a healthy green vegetable will eventually get them to eat some as well.

Sauteed Bok Choy with Crispy Garlic
1/2 lb bok choy
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoons oil (canola or even olive oil is fine)
Salt and pepper to taste

Gently rip apart all the leaves of the bok choy from the stem. Wash well and chop into 1 inch pieces.

Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add garlic and some salt and watch them sizzle and as soon as they begin turning golden brown, toss in the chopped bok choy. Stir the garlic and the bokchoy until the bok choy is cooked. (about 2 minutes) Serve.

**As an alternative, instead of salt, you can cook the bok choy with garlic. Put on a serving platter. Put a few dashes of both oyster sauce and toasted sesame oil on top.

Printable recipe

Bok choy with the leaves pulled off, getting washed

Bok choy cut into bite sized pieces

Cooked bok choy topped with dashes of oyster sauce and toasted sesame oil