It’s a salad and a stir-fry all at the same time! Leafy greens kale and bok choy are steam-fried along with cabbage and carrots in this oil-free kale salad.
I’m on a diet healthy eating plan. Those of you who just stumbled on this blog are probably now looking at its name and going, “Well, duh!” But the fact is, I never really talk about my struggles with my weight here because that’s a long and personal discussion, and my writing style is fast and breezy and cut to the chase, er, recipe.
So let’s just suffice it to say that though the recipes I post here are low-fat and most are suitable for any healthy diet plan, there are things in my pantry that aren’t fat-free or low in sugar or unprocessed, and they’ve been known to find their way out of my pantry and into my mouth. (I’m looking at you, Boca Chik’N and Fruitful O’s!) No matter how healthy my dinners are (and they really are what you see on this blog), I don’t make any progress losing weight if I eat junk for lunch and between meals. So I’ve cut out all processed foods, including flour and sugar, which always cause me to crave more processed food.
And I feel great! My new motto is “If I didn’t cook it myself and it doesn’t fit on my blog, I don’t eat it.” That’s a long motto, but you get the idea.
I’m basically following Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Eat to Live (I have my own little tweaks), and one of its main precepts is “Thou Shalt Eat a Mega-Huge Salad for Lunch.” Mega-Huge means take the salad bowl you use to make salad for dinner parties and fill it up with lettuce, spinach, kale, and various other leafy greens and top them with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, peas, and whatever other raw vegetables you can find. Finally, top that with an ounce or two of raw nuts and some cooked beans, and then eat the entire thing.
My main problem with this main precept is that I get tired of salads every day, especially during the winter when the thought of cold salad often leads me to heat up the beans before pouring them over the salad. So yesterday I opened my fridge and took out all the “remnants” of other recipes–the cabbage and kale I’d chopped for a photo shoot, the white beans leftover from Roasted Parsnip Soup, two baby bok choy that I didn’t use in my last stir-fry–added some onions and carrots, and made a hot salad out of them:
Then I posted the photo above to Facebook with the caption, “I just ate almost this entire stir-fry pan full of food–the kind of lunch that happens when I get tired of salads!” So many people wanted the recipe (though one wanted to chastise me for my “gluttony”) that I posted the ingredients. But since ingredients do not a recipe make, I figured I’d better give you the full run-down here on the blog.
What follows is exactly what I used and what I did, but since I was cleaning out my own fridge, not yours, feel free to use the vegetables that you need to use up. Chopping time aside (and I was lucky to have most of this pre-chopped), this cooks very quickly: Be sure you use a deep enough skillet that you can cover because steaming is necessary to get the veggies cooked fast without oil.
And note the number of servings. The recipe made about 4 of the salad-plate-sized servings in the plated photo, but if you’re following Eat to Live, you’ll want to eat more than that (or even the whole pan!) so I’ve set the nutritional info up for 2 servings. You could also serve it as a side dish for 4; just divide the nutritional stats in half.
Hot Skillet Salad
Ingredients
- 2 baby bok choy
- 1/4 cup red onion chopped
- 3 ounces baby carrots about 6, slivered
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup red cabbage sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups sliced kale
- 1 cup cooked great northern beans
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fat-free balsamic dressing or balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Wash the bok choy well. Slice the white stems into 1/4-inch slices and set aside. Slice the green leafy tops thinly and keep separate from the stems.
- Preheat a non-stick wok or deep skillet. Add the red onion and cook until it begins to soften. Add the carrots, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Add the bok choy stems, cabbage, basil, oregano, and 1/4 cup water. Cover tightly and steam for about 3 minutes, stirring several times. Stir in the bok choy leaves, kale, and beans and add another splash of water if it’s too dry. Cover and steam until the kale is tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in salad dressing or vinegar just before serving.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Eat to Livers Unite!
What do you eat when you don’t want salad? Leave your ideas and recipes in the comments below. And see Hidden Cashew Ranch Dressing Plus Tips for Eating Salads When You Really Don’t Want To for more ideas.
Looking for other Eat to Live-able recipes? Check out my ETL sections both here and on the main website. Looking for support? Join us in the Eat-2-Live Group on Yahoo!
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Junia @ Mis Pensamientos
i completely agree! if i don’t cook/prepare it myself, then i won’t eat it. 🙂 yeah i have some yummy vegan recipes too that have some white flour/sugar in it for entertaining my non-vegan friends, but for the most part, i focus on eating well! i love to snack on medjool dates, applesauce, baby tomatoes and manna bread. have you tried manna bread (sprouted wheat or rye kernels) yet? it is delicious! if you are interested in a wheat free option, i recommend the rye bread, that is what i always do!
http://www.mannaorganicbakery.com/
Katie
It was cold out last week, so a cold salad held no appeal for me. I followed a recipe in Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone: steam carrots, cauliflower, green beans. Add boiled baby potato, cooked chickpeas. Add raw bell peppers, grape tomatoes, and kalamata olives. Serve with garlic mixed vegan mayonaise. I love how you added greens to yours – I think they would be a nice addition to this dish, too.
Vibeke
Susan!!! I love your blog today! So much honesty… so nice to feel like I know you a little bit better now. 🙂
I too struggle with my weight, even though switching to a vegan diet I’ve lost 15 lbs that were kicking around for too long, I still fight to keep the weight from creeping back on. I follow a mix of Drs Fuhrman, Barnard and McDougall when it comes to healthy eating. I make almost all of my family’s meals from scratch, using your recipes at least five times a week. I’m trying to practice what I preach to friends and family through FB and my blog, but I’m not perfect. Just tonight we’re having gardein buffalo wings with mashed potatoes and cooked veggies. I tell myself that the other days of the week we’re eating well, close the earth and all that.
I think I speak for most of your fans and fellow bloggers when I say we’re all standing here with you in the fight to take back our health.
SusanV
Thanks so much, Vibeke! I appreciate the support.
Julie
Thank you for posting this recipe – I’ve been stalking you…ahem, waiting patiently for it.
Reading Eat to Live last year actually brought me to your website in an effort to find yummy, healthy, vegan meals so I find your post to be very “full circle”. 🙂
Just another book you may like that gives me a lot of upbeat, positive, stick-to-it inspiration: Crazy Sexy Diet (by Kris Carr). She also follows a vegan diet and offers some recipes for smoothies, cleanses and just positiveness in general.
I’ve been making a HUGE kale salad every couple of days that includes onion, sunflower seeds and/or walnuts and orange slices (or apple or whatever I have around). I keep that ready and available in the fridge and make sure to have 1-2 servings per day. For dressing, I like to use some of the Brigg’s Amino Acids with pear-infused vinegar. Or, I sometimes use this recipe: http://crazysexylife.com/2011/all-hail-the-kale-salad/
or this one:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/585
I find that having the kale washed, trimmed and ready to go makes me much more prone to eating it regularly. I love the way it tastes and my goal is just to make sure that I’ve had at LEAST one big bowl of it per day. Since I started with this little goal + a bit more exercising, I’ve dropped over 6 pounds in 2 weeks!
So, good luck to you! I’m sorry for this long post, but thank you as usual for another great recipe!
Cheers
SusanV
I’ve heard good things about that book, so I’ll have to check it out. And I’m with you on having the kale washed and trimmed. Prepping it is the most time-consuming part of a kale recipe.
Bonnie
How do you store your chopped kale? I buy Lacinato (dinosaur) kale and it seems to wilt quickly in my crisper drawer. In exchange for your advice, I will share that I have found that bell peppers keep much longer in the regular part of the fridge when not touching each other.
SusanV
I’ve been using one of those “green bags” for chopped lettuce and kale, and it really seems to keep it in good shape. However, I have to say that I rarely chop kale before using it. I just happened to have this leftover, but it did keep well for a few days in the green bag.
sqqqrly
Storing greens? I wash them and then lay them between layers or paper towels. Then roll the whole thing up and place in a loose bag. Usually I use a grocery bag holes are fine. The paper towels absorb the excess moisture and keep the leaves from being too dry.
Greens last twice as long and they are ready to use.
Genki Kitty
So funny! I do this exact same thing for breakfast and lunch too. These are also some evil things lurking in my house right now, called oreo’s and Japanese chips… I love the fry-up, it’s a great way to get rid of leftover veggies. I’m not usually throwing in beans or nuts – rather leftover brown rice with hijiki. I’ll have to try your method next. Thanks for the suggestion! Always love your recipes!
SusanV
I’ve had to dis-invite Oreos from my house. If my daughter wants them, she has to see them outside our home! 🙂
Carolyn @Eat Well. Live Well. Be Well.
I’m on a diet too… kinda. I love salads. Thanks for the recipe.
Emily
Yum, look at all that fiber and protein! Salad is my favorite meal food as long as I have loads of topping options. Whole Foods’ salad bar gets me every time… 🙂
Mary (What's Cookin' with Mary)
I like your new motto! ..even if it is long 😉
I also like this recipe… simple, colorful and healthy!
SusanV
It’s long, and it doesn’t really fit on the fridge, but it’s working for me so far. Fingers crossed!
Angie's Recipes
I love the assorted veggie stir-fry like this…very flavourful, although light.
Dhyan Atkinson
Well, you have my sympathy. I am in the same boat. Unfortunately for you, “I” go to your blog when I need inspiration! But, with that said, I also create salad stew when I am tired of cold green salads. I use the same amount of veggies, probably heavier on the greens, and after they are steam sautee’d lightly I add some tasty vegetable broth and herbs. I don’t add enough to make it a “soup” because I am not wanting to fill up with liquid but just enough to make it stew-like is great. I also sometimes puree the beans in the broth before I add it to thicken things a little. Good luck! May we both be thinner soon. Your friend, Dhyan
Liora
It looks wonderful! I think I am going to try it soon!
🙂
Marinda Bush
It is so comforting and encouraging to know I’m not the only one who struggles with the “no snacking” Eat to Live rule. I’m so proud of you for really sticking to Eat to Live! It is a challenge, even though I know how good it is for me and how great it makes me feel – so good work!
One of my favorite simple lunches is salad with a chopped pear. Yes, that is still salad, but it is such a nice twist. Honestly it is just a lazy version of an amazing summer salad I make that includes strawberries, grapes, apples, cucumbers, etc. And then has a strawberry dressing using agave. But if I’m short on time, simply a pear makes my day – and it doesn’t even need dressing!
Thanks for posting your “pan fry” lunch. I saw it on Facebook and am thrilled to see all the details!
SusanV
I have a pear, and I’ll have to try it in my salad tomorrow!
Brian Hill
I’m currently doing McDougall’s “Heart-Healing” diet — http://blog.menubalance.com/what-is-the-mcdougall-diet — which is why your recipes fit in so well.
I feel really good until I fall off the wagon and have a big glob of pumpkin cream cheese bread at the coffee shop or what have you. Beats me why I eat that kind of stuff when I know it will be a setback. I am highly motivated, not by weight but by having spent four days in the hospital after a “cardiovascular event.” I’m not giving more details 😉
I love your new motto! More power to you! I hope you find the right balance.
MaryEllen
Looks delicious! I love kale. Unfortunately, my grocery stores kale is all so incredibly limp! I am trying this the first time the kale looks edible! I wish I could grow kale year ’round.
Sarah (Flavoropolis)
Thanks so much for sharing! I am feeling very similarly recently – my diet is overall pretty healthy, but the processed and sugary snacks manage to creep in way too often. I’ve been thinking this week that if I were to eat only foods I would blog about then I would be just fine. Thanks for the inspiration, and this salad looks so good!
Kathleen @ Kat's Health Corner
Salads are one of my favorites!!!! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to post this!! It looks DIVINE! 🙂
Keda
I’ve been making a similar hot salad but am lazy so it’s all from frozen veggies: a bag if turnip greens, bag of spinach, bag of onion bell brooded mixed -that’s my base. Then I add a bag of whatever other veggies (asparagus, artichoke hearts etc) one can of beans.
But on another note… Susan, you rock. I love the honesty in your post. Your attitude about this whole weight issue, even if you heve been on the downlow about it, has been inspirational to me as I continue to seek to develop a healthy balanced relationship with food.
SusanV
Thanks, Keda! I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with “healthy balanced relationship with food.” So much of my eating has been driven by cravings, brought on by substances like sugar and salt that are truly addictive. I know that if I can break away from them, everything else will fall into place.
Also, you probably know that I’m a huge fan of frozen veggies. My go-to non-salad lunch is a big pot of Ridiculously Easy frozen veggie soup.
Marta
This sounds similar to where I am in my vegan journey. I was raised a lacto ovo vegetarian and then introduced to meat at about 8 years old. I remember being disappointed that it didn’t taste like my favorite canned meat substitutes (except when my grandma made meat and stuffed it with garlic and lots of seasonings). However I did choose to eat meat when eating out, never had the stomach to cook it myself, and then married a lacto-ovo vegetarian. He kept trying to get me to give up meat and so I challenged him to give up dairy/eggs and I’d be vegan as well. We wrestled that for a several years and after a while and slowly made changes, first with soy milk instead of milk, then soy cheese (didn’t know what casein was at the time), then deciding to not buy milk, cheese or eggs, and then nothing processed with those items, and now trying to avoid processed foods in general. I do enjoy a little vegan meat subsitute to flavor foods, so probably wont’ give it up in general, but its certainly a wake up call when you do switch and how your body responds!
I love your hot salad idea. I HATE cold food. Seriously, if its not hot, I just don’t feel like I’ve eaten. 🙂 I will definitely try this salad, I love cooked cabbage! Thanks for sharing!
Amanda
Susan, this is something like my “go to” meal these days, too. I usually add 1/2 cup of pasta so I feel like I’m eating pasta even though it’s almost entirely vegetables. Last night a similar meal for me included purple kale, a red pepper, and snap peas in the pods with the pasta and a drizzle of balsamic. Delicious and filling!
SusanV
Amanda, this reminds me of a pasta dish I do that my daughter calls “that pasta dish with the vegetables and white sauce.” I make it with more vegetables than pasta, but since I’ve been cutting out the flour products, I make the vegetables and sauce separate from the pasta, and take my share of the veggies before they’re mixed together. I’ll have to try adding some of the vegetables you mention.
Philippa
I feel the same way about salads in winter. I can only have so many of them. Recently I have been on a broccoli kick & have been making big bowls of steamed broccoli splashed with soy sauce, crumbled feta cheese and a small handful of goji berries over the top. The green/white/red combo looks great and it’s very filling. To make it vegan, I’m pretty sure either a vegan cheese or some toasted walnuts or almonds would work just as well.
Debbie
We must have had the same idea for lunch! I made a clean out the produce bin salad too. I took out my food processor with the shredder blade. I then shredded sweet potato, diakon radish, rutabaga, delicata squash, carrots, and a beet. Then I chopped celery, swiss chard (leaves and stems), fresh parsley, cucumber, red pepper, green pepper, and green onion. Then added 1/2 cup of Dulse flakes and 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut and fresh ground pepper. Mixed it all together and then made an asian dressing from tahini, coconut aminos (my new favorite) oriental spices, chopped green onion, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and water. MMMMMMM!!
SusanV
Mmmmm! And the shredder blade on the food processor is a tool that I often forget to use.
Christine
I can’t wait to try this!!
I like to combine cold salads with warm toppings and mix. My favorite topping is 8 oz steamed cauliflower, 1 oz raw nuts, a few ounces of salsa, a splash of flavored vinegar and Braggs, lots of cilantro. I blend this until it is the texture of hummus and then put the whole thing on my salad. Yummmm!!!
:o) Christine
Jennifer
Love this recipe…I am also “trying” to follow the Eat to Live lifestyle. It’s so strange to me that I sometimes stray from this way of eating because whenever I do I feel terrible and it takes me days to feel mormal again. That other crap we put in our bodies is truely addicting! As I was reading your blog I was enjoying a huge bowl of homemade black beans with steamed spinach, avacodo, tomatoes and a little bit of salsa so it’s not too dry. It’s one of my favs when I don’t want a salad! Love your blog, love your food! Hope you get a chance to try mine!
SusanV
That sounds delicious! You had me at avocado! 😉
mackinnonshelley
That recipe looks really good.
AS a fellow ETL’er, I get tired of salads all the time too, especially during the cold winters here. My goto when that happens is usually lots of veggie and bean soup recipes..most of which I get from here. <3
Melissa
Hi Susan,
I love your blog and your recipes! You’re offering so many options for people to eat healthily and compassionately.
Have you heard of Health At Every Size? I’ve discovered it recently, and I think it’s a really sensible approach to living healthily without being fixated on losing weight.
Here’s the description:
Health at Every Size is based on the simple premise that the best way to improve health is to honor your body. It supports people in adopting health habits for the sake of health and well-being (rather than weight control). Health at Every Size encourages:
* Accepting and respecting the natural diversity of body sizes and shapes.
* Eating in a flexible manner that values pleasure and honors internal cues of hunger, satiety, and appetite.
* Finding the joy in moving one’s body and becoming more physically vital.
The website is here: http://haescommunity.org/
And here is a great short essay that addresses some myths about the obesity ‘epidemic’ and the best ways to encourage health and sustainability: http://lindabacon.org/HAESbook/pdf_files/HAES_Message%20to%20Foodies.pdf
I’m posting this b/c the more I learn about the myths about obesity and weight loss, the more I want others to know, so they can stop the cycle of dieting and body hate and just be happy and healthy. (This is for me too.) I also think it ties in to the most important foundations of veganism: love and compassion.
I hope you don’t mind me posting this as resource to explore. Thanks and keep up the great work!
SusanV
Melissa, I’m glad you mentioned this. I’m a big proponent of Health at Every Size, and one of the reasons I don’t talk about my weight on this blog is that I don’t want people thinking that I believe that being overweight makes a person unhealthy–far from it. I’ve been a healthy plus-sized person for years, and in some respects I’m still a lot healthier than the average person, but recently I’ve had some things come up that indicate that I could be healthier. So that’s what I’m shooting for.
HAES
Another HAES fan–Avoiding body-bashing is one thing I really like about this blog! Keep it up.
annie
Eat to Livers has an unfortunate sound to it. Even though I am among that minority of people who LOVE liver.
I’m going to have to check out this diet. It looks like a good thing, and I need something to help me lose weight and revamp my awful eating habits.
ems
Thank you for your honesty. I having been relying on your blog in order to lose weight myself…
Jodie
I totally agree with you, when it is cold I seldom eat cold salad. However,
I will roast vege’s and either add the hot vege’s to a salad or just have the roasted vege’s by themselves. I will say I always add a tablespoon of almonds for some added crunch. This recipe will be for dinner tomorrow.
Ricki
I am in almost the exact same situation. . . and funny, I had never thought about a salad every. single. day.–but I’m sure I’d have the same problem as you with getting bored and not wanting cold, cold, cold. This looks great!
wendy (healthy girl's kitchen)
uuuugh! I just left a long comment and somehow it disappeared! anyway, I will try to recreate my thoughts.
First, yes! Eat to Livers Unite! I love that!
Nutritarianism allowed me to “recover” from emotional overeating and compulsive eating in a way that no other system or plan or support group has ever affected me. I write a lot on my blog about emotional eating and the mental tools that I am using to overcome it. It does take a lot out of me write those posts, but I get a lot out of it and I know that my readers do too. I would love to hear more of your thoughts and struggles. Together we can figure this out!
Might I also suggest a recipe? Dr. Fuhrman’s Kale and Bean Saute:
http://healthygirlskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/12/vacation-kale-and-bean-saute.html
It is amazing and flavorful and filling and W O W ! ! !
Melomeals: Vegan for $3.33 a Day
I struggle so much with my weight too.. it’s really really hard.
This looks great! It’s so cold in NE that I just cant’ eat salad at lunch. I have to eat lots of hot foods, so I eat veggie/beans soups and stews…
PG
I love your site and consult it often- I’ve found it most helpful in my singular vegan journey. Thank you – you can not know how much you have helped me.
I was surprised to see the calorie content of your hot salad – but seriously – I would not worry about the calories of that particular salad – it’s all good stuff!
I’m on the Caldwell Esselstyn/Ornish plan – about 1 and 1/2 years now – and I am not a bit comfortable with trusting anyone else to cook for me.
Thank you for all your efforts- this is a fabulous website
SusanV
PG, the calories surprised me, too. We’re conditioned to think that vegetables have practically no calories, but that’s not true, especially in large amounts like this. But what contributes the most calories is the white beans (no surprise) at 104 calories for half a cup. Next is (and this was a big surprise for me) kale, at 67 calories, and it contributes most of the fat at .94 grams. Everything else’s calories is in the single digits and teens.
Like you said, it’s all good stuff, and I’m no calorie counter, but I wanted to point out where they come from for people who wondered.
sandi
Wow that salad looks delish. I don’t like cold salad in the winter either. You actually turned me on to collard greens too. I eat them almost every night sauteed with garlic, onion and mushrooms. I use only vegetable broth, no oil, and kind of saute/steam them. I am definitely going to try your hot salad. Greens rock!!!!! BTW, I try to eat nothing that is processed but it’s hard. We just don’t realize how dependent on it we are, even if it’s vegan. Here’s to both of us eating lots of plants!!!
Susanna
Hey! This is awesome Susan! I am a Healthy Eating Specialist at Whole Foods, and Dr. Fuhrman’s Eat Right America is one of our Health Partners. I stumbled upon your blog in the summer, looking for more recipes that fit into the guidelines I had to follow, and I’ve been a fan ever since! I’m so glad to hear you are following Eat to Live! I did it in June and have never gone back! I hope it goes well for you. Keep up the healthy eating!
Susanna
Ally (oatsandspice)
WOW does that salad look delicious! I can’t wait to try making one for lunch 🙂
http://oatsandspice.wordpress.com
ashley@quasichick
I love eating at least 1 salad a day. It helps me meet my veg/fruit requirement.
Allison
YUM!! I love warm salads and can’t wait to try this one. I have almost all the ingredients on-hand so just one quick run to the store for a couple of items and this salad is mine! 🙂
michelle@mythunderthighs
I have been losing weight for over 10 years. Started out on Atkins, then WW–where I ate all of their food. Then developed a binge eating disorder and have put on 30lbs of the 125lbs that I had once lost.
I get your struggle.
I also get your intense fear and avoidance of fat. I however, will argue that since embracing fat I have lost more weight, feel less bloated and less insanse about it all. I still stick to WWonline (it’s not really the plan that counts). But instead of putting 1 tsp of EVOO I put 2 TB. Instead of skipping pine nuts…I add 1 TB. I can’t tell you how amazing I have felt but simply increasing my fat content in my meals. I skip out on carbs now (bread/pasta) and will eat veggies that have carbs and quinoa. The point I am making is that I’ve tried IT ALL. Cheese/meat, to Diet coke to low-fat meals. The only thing that has made me feel awesome is adding fat to my diet.
Perhaps try it for one week. Increase your fat content, stay w/in your calorie range/point/satisfaction range and see what happens.
SusanV
If you read my post carefully (and take a look at my FAQ’s page) you’ll see that I have no “intense fear” of fat. I get just the right amount of unprocessed fat from nuts and seeds when I follow my “healthy eating program,” but I gain weight when I do not limit my intake of fat or processed foods. So contrary to what you wrote in your blog post (yes, I saw it 😉 ), I did not get fat or even stay fat following a fat-free vegan diet. I get fat when I don’t follow a fat-free vegan diet–and I admit that I hadn’t been following one strictly until recently. Now that I am, I am losing weight at a good, healthy pace, about 3 pounds a week. So I appreciate your tips and your experience and I’m happy for your success, but I’ve found something that works for me and I feel great!
Caryn
I love your blog, am new to this way of eating and you have been an inspiration indeed.
I know what you mean about those Bocas! I tried to follow Eat Right America but couldn’t read all the email so I drifted to Esselstyn and will pick up E2.