Vegan Lemon-Ginger Baby Bok Choy with Sweet Potato Cubes and Caramelized Spiced Cashews

Yield: 2 generous servings

A little tangy, a tiny bit sweet, and just a touch spicy, this well-balanced bright green and orange dish of contrasting textures goes together in a snap and is as pretty as it is nutritious. I think it would be really nice paired with baked or sauteed sesame-crusted tofu.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
1 generous teaspoon soy sauce
1 generous teaspoon Five Spice Powder
1 generous teaspoon brown sugar
pinch cayenne pepper
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
generous 1/2 cup cashew halves and pieces
8 heads baby bok choy, sliced lengthwise in half
1/4 cup water
juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium-sized baked sweet potato, skinned, and diced

In a wok over medium-high, heat both oils to shimmering. Add next six ingredients, stir until well combined, and then add cashews. Cook and stir, almost constantly, until cashews are caramelized which takes just a few minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add bok choy to hot skillet and gently stir fry until it turns bright green and barely begins to soften. Add water, lemon juice, ginger and garlic powder and cook another couple of minutes to combine flavors and cook bok choy until it is crisp-tender, but still bright green. Add sweet potato and gently stir to combine while heating through. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Quickly stir in cashews and serve immediately.

Note: Your cahews will have a more caramelized appearance and texture than the ones in the photo, as it was only after I created the dish that I realized I should have removed the cashews before adding the water. I hadn't planned to add water but I liked the way it helped quickly cook the bok choy and make a bit of a sauce.