During my recent trip to Thailand, I absolutely fell in love with their local Morning Glory dishes. It is a staple of Thai street food—incredibly healthy, perfectly garlicky, and so delicious.
As soon as I got home, I knew I wanted to recreate it for my patients as part of our focus on “Spring Cleaning” our hormones this month. But it immediately brought up a valid question: How easy is it to actually find this vegetable here in Vancouver?
Here is everything you need to know to make this highly anti-inflammatory, liver-supporting dish at home, including where to shop and how to substitute!
What is Morning Glory (and Where Do I Find It)?
Morning Glory—also known as Water Spinach, Ong Choy, or Kang Kung—is a leafy green vegetable with long, hollow stems that soak up flavor beautifully.
It is a nutritional powerhouse. It is loaded with antioxidants, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C, all of which are critical co-factors for your liver. When your liver has the right nutrients, it can effectively filter out environmental toxins and metabolize old hormones (like estrogen) to prevent Estrogen Dominance.
Where to buy it in Vancouver:
The Swaps: What to Use if You Can't Find It
If you can’t get your hands on Morning Glory, do not worry! The healing properties of this recipe rely on dark, leafy, antioxidant-rich greens. If your local store is out of stock, here is how to easily substitute to get the exact same liver-supporting benefits:
Swiss Chard:
This is the closest texture match you will find in a standard Western grocery store. The stems provide a satisfying crunch, and the slightly bitter leaves are fantastic for stimulating bile production (a crucial step in flushing toxins out of your liver).
Bok Choy (or Baby Bok Choy):
A perfect, easy-to-find alternative. Bok Choy is a cruciferous vegetable, meaning it is packed with glucosinolates—sulfur-containing compounds that directly support Phase 2 liver detoxification. This is the specific pathway your body uses to safely package and clear out excess estrogen!
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli):
If you are at T&T Supermarket but the Morning Glory is sold out, grab a bunch of Gai Lan. It has a slightly bitter, earthy flavor and thick stems that hold up beautifully to the savory garlic and coconut aminos sauce.
Mature Spinach:
If you are in a pinch, standard English spinach or large-leaf mature spinach works wonderfully. It is incredibly rich in folate and magnesium, which help calm the nervous system and lower cortisol.
The Naturopathic Upgrades
Traditional Thai recipes often use soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sometimes a pinch of white sugar. To make this a functional, hormone-balancing meal, we are making a few gut-friendly swaps:
1. Coconut Aminos
We are replacing the soy sauce with coconut aminos to keep the dish soy-free and lower in sodium.
2. Bone Broth
We are using a splash of high-quality bone broth to create the sauce. This adds a rich depth of flavor while delivering gut-healing collagen and amino acids.
The Recipe: Gut-Friendly Morning Glory Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
- 1 large bunch of Morning Glory, washed thoroughly (Note: See the expanded swap notes above if you are using Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, Gai Lan, or Spinach!)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or avocado oil
- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
- 1-2 Thai bird’s eye chilies, sliced (Optional—omit if you don’t like heat!)
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp chicken or beef bone broth
- 1 tsp fish sauce (Optional, for authentic umami flavor)
- Serves: 2 as a side dish
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 5 minutes
Instructions:
- Prep the Greens: Cut the Morning Glory into 2-inch pieces. Keep the thicker, hollow stems separated from the delicate leafy tops, as the stems need a few extra seconds to cook.
- Mix the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, bone broth, and fish sauce (if using). Set aside.
- Sizzle the Aromatics: Heat the coconut oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the smashed garlic and chilies. Sauté for about 15-20 seconds until highly fragrant (do not let the garlic burn!).
- Stir-Fry: Toss in the Morning Glory stems first and toss in the garlic oil for about 30 seconds. Then, add the leafy tops and pour your sauce mixture over the greens.
- Wilt and Serve: Toss everything together continuously for another 1-2 minutes until the leaves are just wilted and the hollow stems have soaked up the savory broth.
- Enjoy: Serve immediately alongside a piece of wild-caught salmon or organic chicken for a perfectly balanced, liver-loving meal!
Is Your Liver Sluggish?
If you are struggling with hormonal acne, PMS, or brain fog, your liver detox pathways might need more than just a good recipe. Dr. Jennifer Luis offers comprehensive functional testing and targeted protocols to help your body safely process and eliminate hormones and toxins.
