Featured Item: Bok Choy from Ho Farms

Bok Choy is a type of Chinese cabbage. Chinensis varieties do not form heads; instead, they have smooth, dark green leaf blades forming a cluster reminiscent of mustard or celery. Bok Choy contains tons of Vitamin A and a strong amount of Vitamin C. Actually, chinese cabbage was ranked second for nutrient density out of 41 “powerhouse” fruits and vegetables in a peer-reviewed US Center for Disease Control study.

Preparation

First, trim off the bottom of the stalk and discard. Wash the bok choy under cold water. Dirt tends to collect toward the base of the stems so make sure you run water through that area.

Separate the leaves from the stems with a sharp knife, making two piles. Cut the stems into 1/2 inch pieces. Since the leaves cook more quickly than the stems, you’ll want to stir-fry them first. Add to any stir-fry – the stems will take about six minutes to cook and the leaves about three.

Farms that grow bok choy

Recipes

What else is in the bag?

Apple Bananas
Sugarland

Avocado
Kamaaina Land Nursery

Bok Choy
Kahumana Organic Farm & Cafe

Lettuce
Kunia Country Farms

String Beans
Ma’alae’a Farms

Tangelo
OK Farms

This week’s Plant Based Meal Prep Box:

This week’s vegetarian meal kit recipes:

Try out these recipes!

Asparagus, Baby Bok Choy & Rice Noodles

Japanese Eggplant and Soba Noodles

This week we have Kabocha from Aloun Farms

Kabocha is a variety of winter squash, often referred to as a Japanese pumpkin. It’s sometimes described as a cross between sweet potato and pumpkin in flavor and texture. It’s sweet taste, velvety texture, massive offering of nutritional benefit and versatility, make it a prized staple vegetable in Japan. You can substitute it within recipes that call for acorn and butternut squash or pumpkin. Most forward nutritients are beta carotene, vitamin C, iron, and potassium with smaller amounts of B vitamins, folic acid and calcium.

How to select a Kabocha:

The two things to look for are weight and color. Skin should be a rich, deep green and it should feel heavier than expected. Ripeness is indicated by golden speckling and stripes on the exterior.

How to prepare Kabocha:

Carefully slice the entire squash in half, keeping in mind that it’s dense and might be difficult to cut. Like other squashes, you’ll want to scoop out the pulp and seeds, leaving the meat behind. From here you can slice it into wedges for roasting, simmering, pureing, or baking. You can also grate it to add texture to breads or other baked dishes and desserts. The skin is ok to leave on.

What else is in the bag?