Bok Choy Soup

Gold and Silver Bok Choy Soup with Mushrooms

Home made bok choy soup is delicious and yet very easy to do.  You only need some time for preparation.  But why call it gold and silver?  Look at the ingredients here and you'll know.  The dry version of the bok choy is gold, the fresh version is silver.  This is the the Chinese way of naming our dishes beautifully.  Together with the mushroom, the soup is extremely delicious, low calories, high fiber and zero cholesterol.  You don't even need to add any meat to it, so it is good for vegetarians and weight watchers.  Of course you can add pork or spare ribs to your own taste.

I like things simple.  So he is my simple recipe of bok choy soup.

Bok Choy Soup Ingredients

1. Some dry bok choy  (free from my sister-in-law)
2. 1 Catty of fresh bok choy, buy those with extremely thick meat (HK$9)
3. Several mushrooms, use big ones with extremely thick meat (from my kitchen stock, c.HK$20)
4. One piece of ginger

Bok Choy Soup Cooking Directions

1. Soak the dry bok choy for a few hours (don't throw away the soak water)
2. Soak the mushrooms for a few hours in hot water.  If cold water, soak overnight. (don't throw away the soak water)
3. Boil 6 bowls of gold bok choy water and one bowl of mushroom water and one bowl of plain water.  These will add extra fragrance to the soup.  Make sure to use the top layers of water, as towards the bottom, there may by some impurities.
4. Bring water to boil, add all ingredients, and bring water to boil again.
5. Turn heat down and let the soup simmer for an hour.
6. Turn to high heat again for 1 minute, add salt and dish up.

My Bok Choy Soup is completely crystal clear and not oily. If you wish, you may add a few drops of EVO to your own taste. 

Why Bok Choy Soup

If you know why I set up this food blog and have read my fasting blog, you would know that I'm a health conscious individual.  But I don't have to surrender delicious food becasue of my eating habit (eat less in principal).  Bok Choy Soup for example, it's simple, easy, delicious, healthy and inexpensive.  I enjoy cooking at home as it is fun and healthy.  If you care to cook some healthy yet delicious food for your family, take a look at my friend Nicholas Zhou's cook book for more healthy cooking ideas.

Some Quick Nutrition Facts About Bok Choy

• Very low in calories. Only13 calories per 100 gram
• Rich in vitamins A, C andK, minerals andanti-oxidants
• Rich in dietary fiber
• Zero cholesterol

Hong Kong Food Blog - Home Made Bok Choy Soup

The Original Italian Pie - Charlotte

During our last visit to Charlotte we tried The Original Italian Pie for pizza and salads. This is a franchise with a dozen outposts in Louisiana and one in Texas. This is the only location in North Carolina.

We split the Italian salad and the Caesar salad along with a large Roasted Eggplant pizza from the "Gourmet Pizza" section. The salads were pretty average, although fresh and the pizza was better than expected. This particular pizza is made with "zesty garlic sauce" and includes fresh mushroom, fresh tomato, sauteed onions and feta as well as mozzarella and the roasted eggplant. My dad previously ordered takeout here and was pleased, but for pizza it's best to eat it right out of the oven, of course. I look forward to trying the calzones and the oven-baked sandwiches here.

Ledet Ethiopian

Lamb tibs (center) with vegetarian platter surrounding. We also had the doro wat (chicken with boiled egg).

I recently met up with friends to celebrate a birthday at Ledet Ethiopian. This quality Ethiopian spot is located at what I call "Ethiopian Corner" (corner of Briarcliff and Clairmont) in DeKalb County. The service, although a bit slow to start, was quicker than most Ethiopian places (other than Desta, which is my favorite modern Ethiopian restaurant) and the food was good. We found both the sambusas (below) and the salad dressing (not pictured) to be quite spicy even for our versatile palates. The main dishes, however, were very pleasing and it didn't hurt that was had a Scoutmob to take $20 off the bill. The doro wat, which is chicken in a rich sauce with a whole hardboiled egg included, was the best dish we tried. The vegetarian sampler was also very good.

The sambusas had a lot of flavor - too much flavor for most of my dining companions as there were huge chunks of very spicy jalepeno peppers inside. I'm not usually one to ask a restaurant to turn down the spice but in this case, they should do just that, or at least have two varieties: regular and extra spicy!

Birthday Party with Delicious Indian Food

Delicious Indian and Indo-Chinese food from Chopaati in Decatur. As you can see they cater!

Our friends' baby turned one in August and we were invited to share in the festivities. In addition to hanging out with more one year olds than I've ever seen at the same time in one room, we enjoyed a delicious Indian/Indo-Chinese lunch with food catered from Chopaati. I definitely look forward to going to this place and recommend it if you are looking for Indian food catering.

We also enjoyed watching the birthday girl tear into this special cake made just for her. So cute and fun to be included in this family's special day.

Vegetarian Chinese Food with Great Chinese Tea

If you want to enjoy delicate, healthy and delicious Chinese vegetarian food in Hong Kong, the Lock Cha Tea House is the number one place I would recommend.

I’m treating my vegetarian friend at this wonderful restaurant at the Hong Kong Park today. This place is highly recommended for many reasons. Here are some.

 - Very delicious Chinese vegetarian dim sum over lunch hour
 - Super quality Chinese tea
 - Very classic Chinese tea culture setting
 - Very friendly services
 - Can visit the Tea Museum next door
 - Can visit the beautiful Hong Kong Park for a leisure walk after meal

The only disadvantage may be price. As the tea is of superb quality, you need to pay HK$25 per person (and HK$38 after 2pm) but each of you can pick your own favourite tea. The dim sum prices are not too high, however comparing to the quantity, it may still be a bit pricy. For example, the $25 Winter Melon Dumpling has only 2 in it. As there is no MSG and not oily at all, you simply fill your stomach very comfortably and healthily, of course. After all, our meal cost HK$198, including six dim sum, two tea and 10% service fee. As for the evening, they offer set dinner ranging from $98 to $220 per person.

My friend told me that she once visited their kitchen and was completely impressed by its cleanliness.

So, here we are, enjoying our super vegetarian lunch

We both chose Tie Guanyin for the tea 鐵觀音 I managed to do the Chinese Tea Art
Vegetarin Rolls
Another kind of vegetarian rolls Vegetarin Dumplings (sauces are nice) Winter Melon Dumplings
Turnip Cake
Green Vegetables with Oyster Sauce
Wait! Oyster sauce at a vegetarian restaurant? Yes.My friend told me that there are vegetarian oyster sauce available at supermarkets. But I had no idea what the ingredients are. A Highly 'Tea Interior' And a very Chinese entrance Lock Cha Tea House
G/F, K S Lo Gallery of Hong Kong Park
Telephone: 852-2801-7177
Opening Hours: 10:15am – 10:00pm

Hong Kong Food Blog - Vegetarian Lunch at the Park

The Cafe - Key West

Cold Peanut Noodles and Falafel Pita special with Sweet Potato Fries.

It rained quite a bit during our stay and one rainy evening we made our way to The Cafe, a quaint vegetarian/pescatarian restaurant on Southard St. I enjoyed the cold peanut noodles - one of my favorite things to make (and eat) while Calvin opted for the falafel sandwich, a special for the evening. Both dishes were excellent and the creative menu made me sorry we didn't have time to return. In addition to a wide array of traditional and ethnic vegetarian dishes, this place has an extensive seafood menu including clams and mussels. Definitely a good place for a little something different when you're in Key West.

Soul Vegetarian Restaurant

Jerusalem Rice Dish with sauteed Tofu and homemade Ginger sauce.

After passing this place multiple times on the way somewhere else, I decided to bite the bullet and try Soul Vegetarian Restaurant on Highland Avenue, just south of Ponce de Leon. The atmosphere is unique and rumor has it that slow service is the norm. It was a little slow (and not very crowded) on my visit, but not terribly so. The above rice dish came out hot, tasty and probably did a lot for my veggie and fiber intake that day! Seriously, it was very good and my friend also enjoyed her BBQ tofu. She also ordered a side salad that came with a tasty garlic dressing. This place is totally vegan and is purportedly owned and run by the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, an interesting group to say the least. We had no room to try it, but the restaurant's Ice Kream (non-dairy ice cream) is something I'd like to sample.

Garden salad and BBQ Tofu.

Sheik Burritos n Kabobs

Camelback on Persian flatbread and shrimp tacos.

Sheik Burritos n Kabobs is a relatively new and very unique dining establishment on Piedmont, not far from the Cheshire Bridge split. The concept combines Southwest with Middle Eastern, an interesting combination to say the least! What I like: owner Jahan Ostad's laid back, jovial personality, the feast-n-june sauce - composed of slightly sweet pomegranate and ground walnuts with julienned carrots, the Chic eggplant dip and the use of organic and local meat. I also really loved the Persian flat bread on my first visit, but the second time around it tasted too chewy and not so fresh. I am also not really digging the chips with hummus and would prefer something more like pita bread be served with the dips. Still, this place is definitely worth checking out; I understand they do a steady lunch and takeout business as well. Catering is also available.

Hummus & chips.

MetroFresh

Somehow I just got around to trying MetroFresh in the Midtown Promenade shopping center. The red pepper melon soup (cold) and curried chicken couscous salad (above) really hit the spot! This is a great place for lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch. I love that they have so many great soups, especially the cold soups for summer. They also offer many vegetarian and vegan options. I will definitely be back again soon!

Black bean soup and salad with olive roll.

Tasty China in Marietta

Clockwise from bottom left: Chinese salad (off menu), baby wonton soup with chicken flavor, spring onion with pork and baby wonton soup with spicy and sour sauce.

After years of hearing about Tasty China, I finally had a chance to try it with a few family members. Divided between fans of extreme spice and those looking to keep their taste buds intact, we tried menu items from the spicy and not so spicy realms of the menu. The Chinese salad, an off-menu special, delighted with it's spicy, fresh flavors. I also loved the wonton soup with spicy and sour sauce - and they are not joking about the spice. Somehow it gets easier to eat the more you've had; perhaps some of that numbing pepper is included in there!

Dry fried eggplant with hot and numbing pepper.

The spice fans also really enjoyed the dry fried eggplant. With just the right amount of crispy spiciness, this dish is a true Sichuan special. Honestly, I don't know of any other place in the Atlanta area with food like this - although I've never traveled to China, in my mind this is what I think authentic Sichuan food tastes like.

"Alive" fish - talapia pulled from the tank near the door before steaming. Deliciously fresh, light, flaky fish was gone before we knew it!

Brookhaven Bistro - a healthy alternative

Salmon quesadilla - make sure you get some of the chipotle sauce!

Several weeks ago my friend and fellow blogger Malika (her post on the meal is here) kindly invited me to try Brookhaven Bistro with her for a complimentary lunch. The cafe is located in the back of the Nuts and Berries health food store on Peachtree Road. There are tables inside and outside on a small patio. The owner/chef, Chip, prepared a few favorite menu items for us to try. The salmon quesadilla is one of Chef Chip's signature items. It tasted rather bland to me, that is until Chip brought out the spicy chipotle sauce, which really added a nice flavor to the dish.

The spicy tofu soup was my favorite dish. Chunky, with lots of greens, rice and tofu in a very tasty (and spicy) broth. Apparently this is not offered every day, but if it is you should definitely try it!



Carrot ginger juice - very good in a healthy kind of way. It tastes like you are drinking your serving of veggies!



Tutti-frutti salad (another one of my favorite menu items) along with the chicken special of the day.



Menu - you order at the register and your food is brought out to you.



To go items available in the fridge case.

Cafe Sunflower

Fried Green Tomatoes - I've shared this on both my visits.

A friend of mine is a big fan of the vegetarian restaurant Cafe Sunflower. When I told her I'd never tried it, she made a meal there happen for me very fast! We've met at the Buckhead location twice now for lunch and it definitely has some of the best vegetarian food around. The quinoa dish (photo below) was particularly outstanding and the fried green tomatoes are a must-try. There is a special vegan menu daily in addition to the regular all-vegetarian menu. They do have several dishes with tofu/seitan, which can actually taste very meaty.

Portabella Mushroom sandwich with baked sweet potato "fries" and salad.



Quinoa with greens and other tasty veggies - one of the vegan specials.

Eating Local - Small Farms CSA

Earlier this year we made a commitment to eat locally grown fruits and vegetables and buy local, humanely raised meat. If you want to know why, read The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Although this change can be difficult at first, there are quite a few sources for these products including farmer's markets and CSA's (community supported agriculture) groups.

We subscribe to a CSA and really love it. At the beginning of the season you pay for a "share" and become a co-producer. Essentially, you are helping the farms with operating costs in exchange for receiving a share of what is produced on the participating farms. This includes lots vegetables, some fruits and sometimes goat cheese, fresh eggs, grits, cornmeal, honey and other products. Everything is in season and fresh. Every two weeks we receive our meat share (an optional extra cost). They are just about to start their spring season so I wanted to share some information from the farmers, Joe and Judith that I just received in case any readers are interested.

"After a long, wet winter, we are thrilled to be back outside, working the earth. The spring crops are growing. We've got beautiful lettuces and cooking greens, endive. The summer seedlings are ready to go in. And, of course, the chickens are still laying those amazing eggs.

After the floods of last September, many things changed for us. We moved out of the camper on the farm, and back into our house in Grant Park. The crisis also forced us to re-evaluate our business and marketing plans. Judith took part time work in the city as Assistant Maitre d' at Restaurant Eugene, and as manager of the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market. Joe has stayed focused on rebuilding the farm and growing the best food he can possibly grow. We're also moving our produce around differently, so we wanted to give you an update on where you can find us this season.

Love is Love Farm CSA We are operating our CSA (community supported agriculture) again this year, and we are looking for new members. You can find us every week from May to August delivering CSA shares on Thursdays and Sundays. The CSA is a great way to support the farm, and be a part of the Love is Love community in a steady, consistent way. In addition to a weekly delivery of the freshest and finest of what we have growing, you explore and learn about cooking and eating with the seasons. Member of our CSA also are invited to participate in exclusive member gatherings on farm. The CSA is the mainstay of our business this year. We hope you will consider joining us.

For more information on our delivery locations, cost, and joining our CSA, visit www.smallfarmscsa.com

Love is Love Farm at Market
There are two opportunities to shop with us at market this year:
The Local Farmstand. Since 2007, we have operated this store in cooperation with Crystal Organic Farm. It is a convenient way to access the best of the season's offering. The Local Farmstand is open Thursday through Saturday and always carries our produce.In addition to our produce, we carry grits, honey, sorghum, mushrooms and other seasonal goodies from our farm friends.

The East Atlanta Village Farmers Market
Since Judith has taken the position of market manager at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market, and since it's our neighborhood market, we decided to sell and have a CSA drop at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market. This is a fun, funky little neighborhood market that operates every Thursday night from May to November. Opening day is May 6th. We hope to see you there. We are looking for 25 CSA susbscribers to pick-up there on Thursday nights. If you're interested, or know someone who might be interested. Please forward our information to them."

You can also learn more about Small Farms CSA on their Facebook page, here. I plan to do more cooking posts and including items received from our CSA after the season begins on May 2.

Nature's Garden Delivered

I was recently offered a free "tiny" box of produce from Nature's Garden Delivered, a company that delivers organic fruits and vegetables. The box was actually quite a generous portion and I like that you can go on the website and select what you want. They also offer small, medium and large boxes. This is a neat service for those who want organic produce and either don't have time to shop for it themselves or cannot get out of their home easily.

Sample of the Tiny box from Nature's Garden Delivered.