I just love Asian food. I didn’t always- I’m not a huge fan of salt, so soy-sauce in anything used to just make me cringe. But in college I discovered this awesome Japanese steakhouse that used such fresh ingredients and had such INCREDIBLE miso soup and ginger salad that I couldn’t get enough. Having said that, somehow all my favorite takeout places have been showing up on scary health report exposes lately (yeah…not kidding. I wish I was.), so I started finding ways to make this stuff at home, and make it with clean-eating in mind.

Tonight’s dinner was inspired by this blog, which I found while searching for great recipes that used bok choy, which was in my first farm share this year. My favorite thing about stir-fry and noodle bowls is that you can genuinely use any veggie you have on hand and it still turns out delicious. Even Cora, at 6, says “mom, this is seriously delish. Maybe I can have a second bowl? I love it that much!” I know. I need to put that kid in commercials.

So check it out- another 20 minute meal, if you do your chopping ahead of time.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh okra, sliced down the middle with tops removed
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped peppers
• 3 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 T butter
• 2 T plus 1/2 cup Tamari organic low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 T local honey
• 2 bunches organic buckwheat soba noodles (I got mine at Publix)

1. In a large skillet over high heat, melt butter with garlic and ginger.
2. Add okra, onion, and peppers, tossing to coat.
3. Add 2 T soy sauce, reducing down, about 1 minute.
4. In a small mixing bowl, combine remaining 1/4 c. soy sauce, white wine, and honey. Add to skillet mixture and reduce down by half.
5. Boil noodles and cook according to instructions (typically about 3 minutes- don’t overdo it!)- drain and add to veggie mixture.
6. Spoon into bowls and bon apetit!

You can seriously sub out anything you like here- tonight I added the shredded chicken from before, but you can add shrimp, salmon, or steak if that’s your thing. I’ve also made it featuring broccoli, carrots, bok choy, green beans, and mushrooms. Spice it up with cilantro and sriracha if you want. Make it Thai with fish sauce instead of Tamari. The possibilities are endless here- so use your imagination! You’ll never want to pick up takeout again. Unless you want spring rolls. In which case you may want to. But that’s for another post.

xoxo~ LWH