Crock Pot Pulled Pork

On Sundays, I always try to prep some food for the upcoming work week.  This usually means a huge amount of protein that can be utilized for many different meals.  This week, I was inspired by this recipe, but made a few changes.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork
4-5 servings

ingredients
1 - 1.5 pounds pork loin (The original recipe called for pork shoulder.  I don't think I would use loin, again, because the low fat content yielded dry pulled pork.)
salt and pepper to taste
coconut oil to coat skillet
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1.5 cups chicken broth
1.5 cups white wine
1 tbsp adobo sauce and chipotle pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos
1 tbsp garlic, minced

directions
In a cast iron skillet, heat coconut oil.  Sprinkle pork loin with salt and pepper, then sear in hot skillet on all sides.

Put pork loin and all other ingredients in the CrockPot.  Cook on low for 10 hours.  Shred meat with a fork and enjoy!

If you are Paleo, you can enjoy the pork on Paleo tortillas or in lettuce wraps.  It would also be good with sweet potato and a sunny side up egg in a breakfast hash.

If you aren't Paleo, you suck!  Just kidding...try it on a bun with BBQ sause, in tortillas or hard taco shells, in quesadillas, over grits, in a baked potato, or anyway you please.

My first serving was eaten as a pork taco salad with greens, cucumber, squash, avocado, peppers, tomatillo salsa, and tomato salsa.  I think I consumed my minimum daily veggies servings in one meal!

How would you eat the pulled pork?

The Amazing Properties of Cabbage

Biology 102 - Chapter 2: The Amazing Properties of Water

Through my 4 years as a biology major, I read lots of nerdy, dense, sciencey, wonderful chapters.  I have no idea why I so vividly remember this specific chapter of this specific textbook.  The whole chapter was dedicated to water; it was all about polarity, cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, capillary action, hydrogen bonding, and lots of other amazing water properties that I won't bore you with....

What I will bore you with is the amazing properties of cabbage.

source

Cabbage:

-One cup shredded contains only 22 calorie and has 91% of your recommended daily vitamin K (Vitamin K prevents bone fractures, calcification of arteries, and allows blood to clot normally) and 50% of the recommended vitamin C (Vitamin C nurtures a strong immune system, repairs damaged tissue, and helps maintain a proper central nervous system).

-is also a good source of dietary fiber (keeps you full), sulphur (useful in fighting infections), and iodine (keeps adrenal glands in check).

- according to some research, may help prevent colon, prostate, and breast cancer.

- is very versatile.  Cooked or raw.  Red or green.  Sweet or sour or both.  Asian or southern soul or Russian or Hungarian...

- is pretty.


source



- is cheap and easy to cook.

- is delicious!


Cabbage Soup


ingredients:
1 lb of ground meat of your choice (I used deer, but you could use beef, pork, or chicken)
1 head of cabbage, quartered then sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 14-oz can of beans (I used great northern, but you could use chili, cannellini, or even black eyed peas)
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
2 14-oz cans of chicken broth (or beef broth or veggie broth)
non-stick cooking spray
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp worcestshire sauce

directions:
Heat a deep soup/stock pot sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Add garlic.  Cook until it becomes aromatic. Add chopped onion. Cook until translucent and soft.  If needed, add a little chicken stock to keep from sticking.  Add ground meat.  Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook until brown.  Add cabbage.  Add balsamic vinegar and worcestshire sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until Brown.   Add diced tomatoes and their juice, tomato sauce, beans and their juice, broth, and about a half gallon of water.  Mix and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for as long as you have time.

The star of this soup show was definitely the cabbage!  While cooling on the stove, I found myself spooning chunks of cabbage out of the pot and into my mouth.  (I can do this sort of thing since I live alone.)

**Leave out the meat and use veggie stock to easily make this recipe vegetarian.


Sorry no picture of the soup.  I was so hungry by the time it was finished that all I could think about was gobbling up a bowl.   Plus, it was late, and 75% of the light bulbs in my kitchen are burnt out.

source



 Cabbage: Love it or leave it?  What is your favorite way to eat it?

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

The low tonight is going to be 34 degrees. 

That is just unacceptable. 

This girl doesn't do below 50 degrees.

But what can I do about it?

Make chili to keep me warm.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili
adapted from Andie's recipe at Can You Stay for Dinner? 

The biggest change to my recipe is the use of a dutch oven, due to my lack of crock pot.  I also used 3 sweet potatoes instead of 2 (because I had 3 that needed to be used), replaced the beef with venison (because it was free from my dad and it is much leaner & more flavorful than beef), and added smoked chipotle (because it is just darn good!).

ingredients:
non stick cooking spray
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 lb ground venison/deer (you can omit or use lean ground turkey or lean ground beef)
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp worcestshire sauce
2 cans black beans, undrained
1 can chili beans, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes and peppers, undrained (you can replace with one can diced tomatoes if you don't like spicey)
1 can whole stewed tomatoes, undrained
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground smoked chipotle
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cups of water

Directions:
- spray dutch oven with non-stick cooking spray.  Add onion and sautee until translucent.  Add garlic and cook until fragrent.

-Add ground meat.  Season with worcestshire, salt, and pepper.  Brown thoroughly.

- Add all the beans and tomatoes.  Add sweet potatoes, spices, and water.  Mix well.

- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover.  Cook for approximately 2 hours.  The longer it is cooked, the more the flavors with melt together.

How do you keep warm on a cold day?

Obviously, I cook warm, cozy foods.  I also love to curl up in front of the fireplace.

What I ___________ Wednesdays, Vol 11

What I'm Pinning Wednesday

For those of you who have not jumped on the pintrest bandwagon, I strongly recommend that you hop on quick! 
Not only is pintrest very addicting fun, but it is also very useful.

My most useful boards are as follows:

-"running routes" where I have been pinning many different running routes mapped on USTAF's website.  It helps me keep things interesting by not having to run the same places all the time.

- "healthy eats" where I pin all the healthy recipes that I want to try from blogs and other sources. I also have an "indulgent eats" board.

- "Christmas list" where I am pinning all the goodies I want Santa to bring me.  My mom has been bugging me for a list, so it will be easy to just send her a link to this board.   It will also be a one stop shop for her, because there are direct links to the websites to purchase these prizes.


Here are some things I've pinned over the past week:

All are linked to their original website. Just click on the picture.


Veggie eggs benedict.  Eggs benedict is my favorite breakfast, and with this recipe, I won't feel the guilt normally associated with chowing down on all that bacony, hollandaisey goodness.

The Gracious Pantry's slow cooker chicken and spinach.  Her recipes are always great and this one looks so simple.



Why did I never think of roasting cabbage in the same manner I would brussel sprouts?  Can't wait to try this one!



New balance minimalist road running shoe.  I have been researching and reading a lot about miniamalist shoes.  I'd like to give them a try, especially since last night at CrossFit I learned my sneaks are causing me to lean forward and interfering with my deadlift form.



This adorable faux fur jacket from Zara.  So fancy!



Mini tripod for my camera so I can work on my amateur photog skills.



Garmin 305.  Hopefully this guy will help me get faster by keeping me aware of my pace.  And it would be so nice to know exactly how far I've run, instead of using the not so accurate map it.



Silmats.  Would be great for all my baking needs, especially drying fruit.

 

I'm a little bit obsessed with this girl's bow.  Seriously.  I've been thinking about it while running. While at the grocery store.  While showering.  While driving.  While working.  While cooking. 

And those earrings!  And that hair!  Perfection.  

Who is she?  Will she be my friend?  Will she share her closet? Her jewelry box?

I must find this bow.

And last but certainly not least, this little diddy.



So true!



Are you a pintrest addict?  If so, what is your favorite "board"?

Do the Clearance Cauliflower Mash

I am sad to report that the DOMS has worsened.   Every move I make is painful. :(

No long walk yesterday and no run today. 

I did walk all the way to our tailgate from my car, even after a friend with a parking pass offered to pick me up. :)  Then I proceeded to sit on my butt for the next 4 hours, eating jambalaya.

It has been a very lazy weekend.

However, I finally used those clearance cauliflower I bought!

I decided to roast them, then I used the yellow ones to make

Roasted Garlic & Cauliflower Mash

ingredients:
-1 head of cauliflower (I roasted 2 heads because that is how much I bought on sale -2 is better than 1- but I only used one for the mash.)
-1 garlic pod
-non stick cooking spray
-salt & pepper to taste
-1/4 cup milk (I used almond milk)
-1/4 cup chicken stock

directions:

- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

- Chop cauliflower into florets and wash.

- Coat cauliflower florets in non stick cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper.




Coincidence that it was game day and my cauliflower were purple & gold?!  I think not.


- Coat a baking pan in non stick cooking spray and spread the cauliflower florets evenly in the pan.

- Cut the top off of the garlic pod, spray with non stick cooking spray, and place in the middle of the cauliflower.

- Place in preheated oven for 40 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes.

- Remove from oven and place cauliflower in a big bowl.  Add milk, chicken stock, and 2 of the cloves of roasted garlic.

- Blend with immersion blender until smooth or the consistency of mashed potatoes. (If you don't have an immersion blender, you could use a food processor)

- Serve as you would mashed potatoes. 

I had leftover turkey, peppers, and mushrooms from a taco salad I made the night before, so I ate it over the cauliflower.  I added fat free sour cream, salsa, and jalepeno peppers.  Yum!

BTW, triple victory in the football department.  McNeese, LSU, and the Saints won!  It's a great weekend to be from southwest Louisiana!

I know some football obsessed folks whose wives would get a laugh out of this someecard.  All teams excelled this weekend, so prayers answered! 

Did you have a lazy weekend or were you productive?
Did your team win?

Snacks-to-Go, Vol. 2: Roasted Chickpeas

If I had to guess, I would say right now, I am probably laying on the beach, basking in the sun, with a margarita in one hand, snacking on some of the roasted chickpeas I brought along. 

Don't you wish you were those chickpeas and I had brought you along?

Roasted Chickpeas

ingredients:

2 cans chickpeas
spray canola oil
1/2 tbsp garlic salt
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp smoked chipotle
2 tbsp lime juice

not pictured: lime juice.

directions:

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

- Rinse chickpeas throughly.  Rub dry between paper towels, removing skins.

- Place chickpeas in a bowl.  Spray with canola oil and toss to coat.

- Add all spices/seasonings and lime juice to the bowl.  Toss to coat.

- Spray a baking sheet with canola oil.  Spread chickpeas on baking sheet in thin layer.

- Bake at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes or until crunchy, stirring every 15 minutes.

Bon Appetit!


Go Pokes!
 Today is the McNeese Cowboy's first home game of the season. 

If I could be at two places at once, I would be with my Ponkies tailgating the day away.  I will drown my sorrows of not being there in another pina colada. :)

Snacks-to-Go, Vol. 1: Carrot Cake Granola

I am on vacation in the Dominican Republic, and I didn't want y'all to miss me too much.  So I scheduled a series of posts while I'm gone.

I plan on drinking lots of calories in the form of margaritas, pina coladas, daquiris, mudslides, etc.  My prefence is to waste empty calories on boat drinks rather than food, so I made and packed some nutritious snacks. 

Over the next week I will post my recipes for these easy to go snacks.

First up:

Carrot Cake Granola

Carrot cake is my favorite cake of all time!  My mom has the best recipe with a rich, cream cheese frosting that is full of pecans.  My mouth is watering thinking about it.  She makes it every year for my birthday cake, and I always look forward to it!

So when I ran across this carrot cake granola recipe on Chocolate & Carrots blog, I was ecstatic!  I made a few revisions to reduce the fat and sugar, so below is my version of Carrot Cake Granola:

ingredients

2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups Kashi GoLean cereal
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup carrots, shredded
1/4 cup honey
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup unsweentend coconut
1 cup raisins
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp nutmeg
1 tbsp salt

directions

- Preheat oven to 300 degrees

- In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (except nuts & coconut): oats, cereal, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

-In another bowl, combine wet ingredients: applesauce, carrots, honey

- Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

- Spread mixture onto baking pan.  One with sides makes the next step easier.

- Bake for 30 to 40  minutes, stirring every 10 to15 minutes.

- Stir in pecans and coconut, bake for another 20 minutes.

- Let cool and store in airtight containers.

The result is a chewier granola that has all the flavors of my beloved carrot cake!


What is your favorite cake flavor ever?
Does your mom still make you a birthday cake?

Free Food

I'm sure by now you have noticed a recurring theme in my cooking...  I am a scavenger and revolve my meal planning around food that is given to me.

Whether its vegetables from my dad or grandma's gardens for my Roasted Veggie Frittata, Stuffed Peppers, or Vegetable Chili; ducks from Jeff for my Pot Roasted Duck; or fresh trout from Mike for my Mediterranean Fish Tacos or what I whipped up for dinner last night:


Pan Seared Trout with Asparagus Pesto
2 servings

trout:
2 trout filets
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp worcestshire sauce
salt, black pepper, red pepper to taste
non stick cooking spray
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 tsp flour (This is used to thicken the sauce.  You could use any type of flour, cornstarch, or xanthan gum. I would have used xanthan gum, but am too cheap to pay $10 for 1/2 lb of it!)

Pesto:
1/2 cup raw asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp parmasean cheese, grated
1 tbsp pecans (You could substitue with walnuts, pine nuts, or whatever you have on hand.)
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp chicken stock
salt & pepper to taste

- Pour 2 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp of worcestshire sauce over filets of trout.  Salt and pepper both sides of filet.  Leave filets to marinate while you prepare the pesto.

- Add asparagus, 1 tbsp lemon juice, garlic, cheese, pecans, salt, and pepper into food processor. Turn on the food processor and slowly add olive oil.  Then slowly add chicken stock until you have the consistency you want.  (I use the chicken stock to cut down on the amount of oil I need, therefore reducing the fat.)

- Heat a non stick skillet sprayed with non stick cooking spray over high heat.  When pan is really hot, add trout filets.

- Sear for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side.  Reduce heat, add 1/4 cup of chicken broth, and cover with a lid. 

- Continue to cook for about 5 minutes.  Remove trout filets.  Add 1 tsp of flour to remaining juice in the pan and whisk to thicken the sauce. 

- Plate trout over asparagus pesto and finish with sauce from pan.

Chef worthy plating? I think not.

This was my first attempt at asparagus pesto and I loved it!  It was so bright and refreshing. No one ingredient overpowered the others; I could taste every single one and they all worked well together.  Perfect for a hot summer night.

You can't get much fresher than from in the lake on Sunday to in my belly on Monday night! Organic at its finest.


Look who sat at the window and watched me cook. :)