Chili Garlic Pork Noodles

Ingredients

• 6 oz whole-wheat or buckwheat (soba) noodles
• 1/2 lb lean ground pork (96% lean) or ground turkey
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons gochugaru (or red pepper flakes)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
• 4 scallions, whites and greens sliced separately
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, or 2 tablespoons Low-Sodium Soy Sauce Substitute
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Chinkiang black vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey or monk fruit sweetener
• 2 heads baby bok choy, quartered, or 2 cups baby spinach
• Toasted sesame seeds, for serving

Steps

1. Cook the noodles according to the package, without salt. Add the bok choy for the last minute. Drain, saving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, brown the pork in a dry nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain off any fat.
3. Put the gochugaru, garlic, ginger and scallion whites in a heatproof bowl. Heat the avocado oil in a small pan until it shimmers, then pour it over the bowl. It will sizzle.
4. Stir the soy sauce, black vinegar and honey into the chili oil.
5. Toss the noodles, bok choy and pork with the chili oil, adding a splash of the saved cooking water to loosen it. Top with scallion greens and sesame seeds.