Baby Bok Choy and Bamboo Shoots Sauté

The other night, as Brent prepared the grill and a storm was rolling in, I scoured the fridge looking for a good side dish. (We have a bad habit of leaving sides to the last minute. We always have veggies and fruits, it's just that we don't always make a plan on how well use them, haha.) anyways, I see our big container of baby bok choy and realize "oh no, those needs to be used."

We also had about half a can of bamboo shoots (not in the can anymore of course, that's gross--I had put them in plastic storage container and kept it in the fridge). I didn't want overwhelm our buffalo steak, which Brent had simply seasoned with a light sprinkle of sea salt, with heavy Asian favors, so I didn't pull out the coconut ions or ginger like I normally would for sautéing bok choy. Instead I grabbed a partial white onion, a couple of garlic cloves, and some coconut oil.

Here's what I came up with, and at the end, I'll note a couple of adjustments I wish I had done.

Baby Bok Choy-Bamboo Shoot Sauté

Ingredients

• 4-5 cups baby bok choy, stem trimmed
• 2 cups bamboo shoots
• 1/3 white onion (approx. 1/4 cup), sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Method

1. Heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat.
2. Sauté the garlic and onion for about 1 minute.
3. Toss in the baby bok choy and sauté for about 3 minutes.
4. Add the bamboo shoots and continue sautéing for another 3 minutes or so. If you like your bok choy and bamboo shoots a more crunchy, sauté a little less. If you like them more soft, sauté a little longer.
5. Serve and enjoy!

As I finished the sautéing process, I realized I could have tossed in some red bell pepper for a little extra flavor and color. Also, after tasting it, I wish I had used bacon fat for a more savory element. Next time I make this, I will definitely make those adjustments.

Now, that's not to say this wasn't good. It was tasty! The baby bok choy and bamboo were light and a little crispy. Meanwhile, the garlic balanced well with the oh-so-slight sweetness from the coconut oil. It served as a pretty good compliment to our delicious buffalo steaks. But next time, I'm going to try making this side dish a little more savory.

What would you do differently? We would love to hear from you! :)