Wok-sautéed radicchio with green beans and oranges

Did you know we spend between 30-50% of our time daydreaming? That without realizing it we get distracted and are absorbed in a stream of internal thought unrelated to external stimuli? We spend so much time like this that it has even been called the default state of our brain.

It turns out that on one hand this internal wandering is important for reasoning, planning and learning, and it is also linked to finding more creative solutions to problems.On the other hand, this absent state implies losing focus and has an emotional cost. Because living with attention on the present is associated with greater well-being. While the content of internal wanderings correlates with problems we have to solve. And it has been seen that even when we think about pleasant things we are less happy than when we think about what we are doing.

Personally, it bothers me to lose focus, and I like to stop for a moment and put all my attention on the present. But I also like to let my mind go. To let it wander to remote places, to fly and live its adventures. Especially when my body is in motion. In the pool, for example, is where I invent the best recipes. Like this one. It has it all.

This is a very colorful dish that brings together all kinds of textures, in addition to the divine trinity of sweet-tart-salty flavor. Radicchio also brings a bitter note, but with the other tastes it is very balanced. You can prepare it in 10-15 minutes - and use the beautiful Skeppshult wok that I fell in love with at first sight, or if you don't have it, a frying pan. This is a perfect recipe for this — the best — time of year: it's warm but not too much, everything is green and the mosquitoes haven't arrived. So enjoy the daylight hours and when you get back quickly make this easy, healthy and vegan recipe, but very tasty and impressive.

Skeppshult cast iron wok

Ingredients

For the stir-fry:

• 2 small radicchios
• 1 red onion
• About 200 g (a good handful) of green beans
• Some sage leaves (optional)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey)
• ½ teaspoon salt

To serve:

• 1 orange
• 1 handful dried cranberries
• 1 handful pecans, almonds, hazelnuts or toasted walnuts
• Arugula or lamb's lettuce (or spinach or mixed greens)
• 1 avocado
• 6-8 Kalamata olives (or other black olives, optional)
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: goat cheese

Preparation

1. Prepare the ingredients: slice the radicchio and onion into wedges (leaving part of the stem so the leaves stay together).
2. Cut off the ends of the beans and then cut them into 3 pieces.
3. Heat the wok (this can also be done in the frying pan, ideally cast iron or steel) over high heat.
4. Put the olive oil, sage leaves, syrup and soy sauce/tamari.
5. Immediately add the onion, followed by the beans and the radicchio.
6. Stir-fry about 4-6 minutes over high heat, until the ingredients are toasted and soften a bit.
7. Divide between two plates and mix with the rest of the ingredients.

Skeppshult cast iron wok

Note: you can also add quinoa at the end to make the dish even more substantial.