I'm not sure whether this so called "pear invasion" was a product of my severe indecisiveness or just a bout of creativity, but either way, the end result was a satisfying and flavorful dish that I already can't wait to make again.
Growing up, my family spent some time in Hong Kong, which naturally meant that we were able to experience various types of Asian cuisine. While my adventurous spirit was often lacking during the time we were there, luckily my mom continued to incorporate vegetables such as bok choy into dinners when we returned to the US. (Did I mention that she is also a fantastic cook and comes from a family full of gourmet chefs!) Anyhow, I've been on a hunt to incorporate bok choy into my diet more frequently beyond just throwing it into a stir fry or sauteeing it. So, when I came across this recipe for Bok Choy and Apple Slaw in Real Simple magazine my interest was piqued.
A little detail about the ingredients I decided to use:
Bok choy has always been a bit intimidating with its large leafy presence, so I typically opt for the baby bok choy instead.
Pears are fantastic around this time of year and there are so many varieties to choose from - I however chose to use a more traditional Bartlett for this recipe.
Ground Turkey is one ingredient that I purchase, repack into single sized portions and freeze for single-serving opportunities like this.
Greek yogurt is another ingredient that I end up needing more often than one would think, so I try to keep it around my fridge.
A little detail about the ingredients I decided to use:
Bok choy has always been a bit intimidating with its large leafy presence, so I typically opt for the baby bok choy instead.
Pears are fantastic around this time of year and there are so many varieties to choose from - I however chose to use a more traditional Bartlett for this recipe.
Ground Turkey is one ingredient that I purchase, repack into single sized portions and freeze for single-serving opportunities like this.
Greek yogurt is another ingredient that I end up needing more often than one would think, so I try to keep it around my fridge.
So you might be wondering what is so indecisive/creative about this recipe? Allow me to elaborate. I incorporated pear into every facet of this dish to ultimately create a salad. Pear mixed with the greens, pear in the turkey mixture and pear in the dressing!
The recipe:
2 heads of baby bok choy
1 pear, skin removed, cut into 4 equal wedges
1/2 lemon
1tbsp + 1 tsp greek yogurt
4 oz. lean ground turkey
~1/2 in. grated fresh ginger
1/3 c. onion, chopped
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: A few crumbled walnuts
Begin by washing the baby bok choy and cutting into manageable bites, probably about 1 inch wide. Next, cut the pear into 4 pieces and sqeeze a little lemon juice over the slices to prevent browning. Cut one slice into long strips, chop once slice, dice one slice and enjoy the last one as a snack while you cook.
Add some cooking spray to a pan and sautee the ground turkey, ginger and onion over low-med heat. After about 2 minutes add soy sauce, dried parsley, garlic poweder, salt and pepper to the pan. Next add in the chopped 1/4 pear. Mix as necessary and until the turkey is done, but be sure not to overcook or you might risk drying it out.
Next add the diced pear to a mini chopper with some lemon juice (probably about 1 tsp). Turn on the chopper to puree, which won't take long, given the small quantity. Add in the greek yogurt and mix in the chopper again for about 10 seconds.
Plate the bok choy with the long slices of pear, add the cooked turkey mixture and top with dressing.
Now I would be lying if I told you I ate this right then and there. As difficult as it was, I was able to resist consumption until the next day for lunch. As a packing tip, the yogurt dressing actually added a nice moisture to the turkey come the next day so I would advise setting it a tupperware container so that the dressing more or less sits on the turkey. Also, a few walnuts crumbled up was a nice touch to finish off the salad.
2 heads of baby bok choy
1 pear, skin removed, cut into 4 equal wedges
1/2 lemon
1tbsp + 1 tsp greek yogurt
4 oz. lean ground turkey
~1/2 in. grated fresh ginger
1/3 c. onion, chopped
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: A few crumbled walnuts
Begin by washing the baby bok choy and cutting into manageable bites, probably about 1 inch wide. Next, cut the pear into 4 pieces and sqeeze a little lemon juice over the slices to prevent browning. Cut one slice into long strips, chop once slice, dice one slice and enjoy the last one as a snack while you cook.
Add some cooking spray to a pan and sautee the ground turkey, ginger and onion over low-med heat. After about 2 minutes add soy sauce, dried parsley, garlic poweder, salt and pepper to the pan. Next add in the chopped 1/4 pear. Mix as necessary and until the turkey is done, but be sure not to overcook or you might risk drying it out.
Next add the diced pear to a mini chopper with some lemon juice (probably about 1 tsp). Turn on the chopper to puree, which won't take long, given the small quantity. Add in the greek yogurt and mix in the chopper again for about 10 seconds.
Plate the bok choy with the long slices of pear, add the cooked turkey mixture and top with dressing.
Now I would be lying if I told you I ate this right then and there. As difficult as it was, I was able to resist consumption until the next day for lunch. As a packing tip, the yogurt dressing actually added a nice moisture to the turkey come the next day so I would advise setting it a tupperware container so that the dressing more or less sits on the turkey. Also, a few walnuts crumbled up was a nice touch to finish off the salad.
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