2 Asian vegetable sides

Complete your meals with these mouth-watering Asian-inspired side dishes.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves 4

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) oyster sauce
• 5 g (1 tsp) minced fresh ginger
• 5 ml (1 tsp) rice vinegar
• 5 ml (1 tsp) toasted sesame oil
• 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) honey
• 1 g (1/4 tsp) chili garlic paste
• 5 ml (1 tsp) canola oil
• 115 g (4 oz) small-cap shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
• 4 baby bok choy, 450 g (1 lb), halved lengthwise
• 1 g (1/4 tsp) toasted sesame seeds

1. Combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey and chili garlic paste in a small bowl.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and bok choy, cut-side down. Cover and cook until the bok choy is lightly browned on the cut sides, about two minutes. Turn the bok choy, cover and cook until just tender, about two minutes more.
3. Stir in the sauce and cook for one minute.
4. Serve with the sesame seeds scattered over top.

Nutritional information per serving: 52 calories, 3 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 5 g carbs, 3 g protein, 1 g fibre, 0 mg cholesterol, 563 mg sodium, 122 mg calcium.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves 6

• 15 ml (1 tbsp) canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 15 g (1 tbsp) peeled and minced fresh ginger
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 450 g (1 lb) broccoli florets, rinsed
• 115 g (4 oz) small-cap shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
• 75 ml (1/3 c) chicken stock
• 50 ml (1/4 c) oyster sauce or hoisin sauce

1. Heat the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat. When hot, add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and stir-fry for 10 seconds.
2. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for two minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for one minute.
3. Add the chicken stock and cook until the liquid is reduced to half its volume, about three minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the oyster sauce and cook until the broccoli is tender and glazed, about three minutes.

Nutritional information per serving: 69 calories, 3 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 10 g carbs, 3 g protein, 3 g fibre, 0 mg cholesterol, 114 mg sodium, 46 mg calcium.

• Chop up one half of a red pepper and add it in step 2, for colour and a hit of heart-healthy manganese.
• Add a small sliced summer squash and a small sliced zucchini in step 3, for even greater fibre and nutrients.