The Difference is in the Sauce

The move toward buying local, seasonal ingredients is becoming more and more popular and, with plenty of local farmers' markets, it's definitely a move we can all start making. But you can't always go to the farmers' market since, in Durham, it's only open on Saturdays (more on the Durham Farmers' Market to come). Fortunately for us, supermarkets are now carrying more local items, giving us the choice to buy local any day of the week.

Recently, I went to Kroger and needed to buy barbeque sauce. I know that many name-brand sauces contain a lot of processed ingredients and aren't that good for you. This is when I discovered the section of the wall devoted to North Carolina sauces. So instead of a standard bbq sauce, I opted for Duplin's Finest Mild BBQ Sauce. It lists only six ingredients, all of which I can pronounce. It was only slightly more expensive than many of the sauces ($3.59 for 16 oz.) and was worth every penny. Not only did I feel good about buying it and later eating it, it was absolutely delicious.

I've made the following stir-fry several times and this was definitely the best. The sauce was the perfect combination of tangy and spicy. With only four main ingredients, this recipe (from Real Simple magazine) is definitely a keeper. And using a local BBQ sauce made it that much better!

Chicken and Bok Choy Stir Fry

• 1 T canola oil
• 2-3 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3-4 bunches of baby bok choy
• 1/4 c bbq sauce
• 1/4 c soy sauce (preferably low-sodium)
• S and P

Heat oil in a shallow pan with a lid.
Season chicken with salt and pepper, cook in oil till done, about 4 minutes per side
Remove chicken and add bok choy and 1/4 water
Cover and cook bok choy till nearly tender, 5 minutes or so
Combine bbq and soy sauce in a small bowl, add to pan
Bring sauce to a boil, add chicken, toss to combine
Serve over rice (I use brown rice for texture and added fiber)
Enjoy!

For a printable recipe click here