Friendly Neighborhood Dietitian Linda
Linda Yung is a Registered Dietitian and has a Masters of Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts Friedman. As written on her blog, Lettuce Spoon, Linda is a “die-hard New Yorker with lofty goals of changing the ways Americans perceive food.” On her blog, Lettuce Spoon, Linda shares some healthy recipes she has experimented with as well as food suggestions of all the places she has lived or traveled to.
We asked Linda a few questions on Local Bok Choy and its nutritional value from the perspective of a “Friendly Neighborhood Dietitian”. Read her answers below and at the end see some of her delicious recipes that include Bok Choy! (All photos are provided by Linda Yung.)
May you please introduce yourself and share a bit about what work you do?
I'm Linda, a nutritionist and Registered Dietitian. I like to call myself a food therapist because I help people build healthy relationships with food. But really I spend most of my time advocating everyone to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables!
What interested you to become a Nutritionist and Dietitian? Why is eating healthy and maintaining a healthy lifestyle important to you?
I've always had a passion for food. Combined with my innate interest in helping others, becoming a dietitian nutritionist was only natural. However, the more I worked in the medical system, the more I realized that only addressing people's diets did not provide a comprehensive answer to help improve their health. Moving towards a healthy lifestyle includes questioning your food environment, food quality, your mental and physical well-being, and of course what you're putting in your body.
As a nutritionist, what is something you wish people knew about eating locally sourced Bok Choy?
Bok choy is packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients to keep your immune system strong! Bok Choy is also known for its anti-inflammatory, bone strengthening, eye-healthy, and anti-cancer effects.
Are there any myths that you want to debunk about locally sourced Bok Choy?
Bok Choy has more vitamins A and C than spinach! Even though its season is winter, Bok Choy may be available year-round.
Have you encountered people who are afraid to try locally grown Bok Choy? If so, how did you go about changing their minds?
I’d say to them, “Y'all, bok choy is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world. And…
What is a fond memory you have with Bok Choy?
For Lunar New Year's Eve, my mom always cooks a veggie dish to offer to Guan Yin. It includes at least eight different types of vegetables for fortune and sometimes ten for perfection. It always has bok choy because phonetically it sounds like "placing fortune" and represents purity. In combination with other Asian veggies such as Chinese celery, shiitake mushrooms, black moss, Chinese lettuce, wood ear mushrooms, gingko nuts, and more, the result is a delicious platter of goodness. The best part is that we share it together as a family on New Year's Day with congee!
What is your favorite Bok Choy recipe/dish?
My go-to is a sesame miso sautee or a simple steamed with (vegetarian) oyster sauce, but I recently made the most delicious chow fun (broad rice noodles) with bok choy and red onions. You can use bok choy in any recipe that calls for leafy green!
Check out the Sesame Miso Bok Choy recipe HERE
Check out the Lunar New Year Vegetarian Platter recipe HERE
Click under the photos above to find the recipes for the respective dishes so you can try them at home.
Check out more of Linda’s recipes and food recommendations from various cities like, NYC, New Orleans, and Hong Kong, just to name a few, on her blog: Lettuce Spoon.