Slow Cooker Carnitas

Photo: Recipe Tin Eats

Mexican food that’s great now and later? (It can be frozen). Si, por favor.

Ingredients

• 2 kg / 4 lb pork shoulder (pork butt), skinless, boneless (5lb/2.5kg bone-in)

• 2 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 jalapeno, deseeded, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3/4 cup juice from orange

RUB

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, rub all over with salt and pepper.

• Combine the rub ingredients then rub all over the pork.

• Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic (don't worry about spreading it) and squeeze over the juice of the oranges.

• Slow Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 7 hours.

• Pork should be tender enough to shred. Remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred using two forks.

• Optional: Skim off the fat from the juices remaining in the slow cooker and discard.

• If you have a lot more than 2 cups of juice, then reduce it down to about 2 cups. The liquid will be salty, it is the seasoning for the pork. Set liquid aside - don't bother straining onion etc, it's super soft.

TO CRISP:

• Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non stick pan or well seasoned skillet over high heat. Spread pork in the pan, drizzle over some juices. Wait until the juices evaporate and the bottom side is golden brown and crusty. Turn and just briefly sear the other side - you don't want to make it brown all over because then it's too crispy, need tender juicy bits.

• Remove pork from skillet. Repeat in batches (takes me 4 batches) - don't crowd the pan.

• Just before serving, drizzle over more juices and serve hot, stuffed in tacos (see notes for sides, other serving suggestions and storage/make ahead).

The recipe is courtesy of Nagi over at Recipe Tin Eats. We’re not trying to claim we came up with it (like we’re that talented)! We’re simply sharing her good work. There are great tips (what to serve alongside your carnitas) and tricks (like what cut of meat to buy), etc. on the original recipe if you’d like to check that out.

Homemade Copycat Perfect Bars

Photo: Eat The Grains

We love to grab these at the store for an on-the-go meal, but they’re so expensive, so why not pack a little extra protein in your life without having to fire up the oven?

Ingredients

• 1 cup natural peanut butter (256 grams) (you can use smooth or chunky)

• 1 cup egg white protein powder (80 grams) - see notes for substitutions

• 1/4 cup maple syrup (see notes)

• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (60 grams)

• Flaked sea salt, for topping

Instructions

1. Add your peanut butter, protein powder and maple syrup to a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to mix until a dough forms, about 30 seconds to one minute. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a food processor or just mix by hand with a fork in a medium-sized bowl.

2. Add in 3 tablespoons of the chocolate chips and mix again until combined about 5 seconds. Be careful not to overmix as the dough will become crumbly.

3. Line an 8x8 glass baking dish or bread pan (an 8x8 will give you 8 thinner bars and a bread pan will give you 6 thicker bars)* with parchment paper (this makes for easy removal) and press mixture into the bottom of the pan until evenly distributed. Top with the remaining chocolate chips and a little bit of sea salt. Cut into 8 equal-size bars. To firm them up a little, you can place them in the fridge. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Thanks to Kelly with Eat the Gains for this fabulous recipe. Make sure to check out the original for tips, tricks and other mix-ins. There are so many versions of this recipe out there, but we chose this one because of its’ high protein and low sugar content.

Calories: 292kcal

Protein: 16g

Carbs: 20g

Fat: 19g

Chicken And Cauliflower Rice Soup With All The Herbs

Photo: Goop

Just what the doctor (and your stomach) ordered.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 2 carrots, diced

• ½ bulb fennel, diced

• 2 quarts chicken stock

• 2 cups cauliflower rice (about ½ head)

• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken

• 2 lemons, in wedges

• Any combination of fresh parsley, tarragon, dill, cilantro, and mint, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot.

2. Add the onions and garlic and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and translucent.

3. Add the carrots and fennel. Sauté for another 5 to 10 minutes until tender.

4. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

5. Add the cauliflower and chicken 5 to 10 minutes before serving, just to heat the chicken through and gently cook the cauliflower—it should be al dente.

6. Ladle into bowls, top with lots of herbs, and squeeze a few lemon wedges over the top. (Pack the herbs and lemon separately and add in before serving leftovers).

Thanks to Goop for this fabulous recipe. We love GP and Goop. This is one of the many delicious recipes you can find on their site. If you want to up your detox game beyond this soup, check out the Higher Dose Infrared Sauna Bag featured in our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide.

Healthified Chick-Fil-A Nuggets

Photo: Unsplash

Everyone’s favorite nuggets done right.

For the Paleo Chicken Nuggets:

• 2 chicken breasts

• ½ cup pickle juice

• ½ cup almond flour

• ¼ cup tapioca starch (can also be subbed for arrowroot for a similar outcome)

• 2 tbsp coconut flour

• 2 eggs

• 1 tbsp water

• 2-4 tbsps avocado oil (or one with a similar smoke point)

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp salt

For the Chick-fil-A Inspired Dipping Sauce:

• ½ cup mayo

• 3 tbsp yellow mustard

• ¼ cup barbecue sauce

• ¼ cup honey (omit or sub with date paste for Whole30)

• Small pinch of salt

Directions:

For the Healthy Chick-fil-A Nuggets:

• Cut chicken breast into 1” nuggets and add to a Ziploc bag with the pickle juice. Let marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or up to overnight (If you’re in a pinch, 30 minutes will work too)

• While the chicken is marinating, work on the dipping sauce. Mix together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, barbecue sauce, and honey. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Store in an airtight jar and refrigerate until using.

• Set up a dredging station for your chicken.

• In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and water until frothy.

• In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, coconut flour, garlic powder, pepper, smoked paprika, and ¼ tsp salt.

• Dip the chicken pieces individually into the beaten eggs.

• Transfer to the flour mixture to coat. Squeeze the nuggets a bit to get the breading to stick, then coat in the flour mixture again.

• Place the coated chicken pieces onto a plate and set aside until all chicken has been coated.

• Heat 2-4 tbsps of oil to a large skillet on medium. It should be enough to coat the bottom of the pan.

• Add the chicken nuggets to the pan in batches to ensure not to crowd the pan.

• Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside and season immediately with a pinch of salt.

• Continue cooking in batches until all chicken is done.

• Serve with the dipping sauce and enjoy!

The recipe is courtesy of Rockin’ Meals. We’re not trying to claim we came up with it (like we’re that talented)! We’re simply sharing her good work. There are great tips (like buying the right flour, adjusting serving sizes) and tricks (like paleo-friendly flour burns faster than regular flour), etc. on the original recipe if you’d like to check that out.

Honey Lime Salmon WIth Strawberry Jalapeño Salsa

Photo: Unsplash

This dish is more summer than sunscreen and sunburns. Besides, who can resist an air fryer recipe?

Ingredients

• Salmon

  • 1 lb salmon

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • Juice of 1 lime

  • 1/2 tsp lime zest
    

• Strawberry jalapeño salsa:

  • 1 pound fresh strawberries, diced

  • 1 jalapeño ( I recommend seeding this so it isn’t super spicy but do whatever works!), diced

  • 1/3 cup red onion, diced

  • Juice of a lime

  • 1/2 tsp lime zest

  • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice, & lime zest

2. Add to the salmon

3. Preheat your air fryer to 400F and air fry for 10-12 minutes

4. While the salmon cooks, assemble the strawberry salsa. Add all of the salsa ingredients to a bowl and mix together with a spatula

5. When the salmon is done, slice and top with the salsa.

This makes about 4 servings.

The recipes from Choosing Balance are healthy and so delicious. Thank you for this recipe and so many of our favorites.

Greek Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Photo: Spoonful of Si/Instagram

Great flavor and less mess.

Ingredients

• Six bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

• 1 zucchini, sliced into half moons

• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2/3 cup cherry tomatoes

• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives

• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

  Marinade

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare marinade. Pour 1/2 the marinade over the chicken thighs and marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes or up to an hour.

2. Slice zucchini, bell pepper, and red onion. Add veggies to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Pour reserved 1/2 of the marinade over veggies. Toss to coat.

3. Place marinated chicken thighs on top. Transfer the baking sheet to a 425 F oven for 30 minutes.

4. Remove the pan and add cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and feta. Return to the oven to cook for 15 minutes more.

5. Top with 2 tbsp fresh parsley and serve.

We are currently loving all things Spoonful of Si, including this recipe. Make sure to check Si out for more fabulous Greek dishes.

Bacon Fried Rice

Photo: Unsplash

Breakfast for dinner never looked so good.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of bacon, chopped

• 1 small white onion chopped

• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots

• 3 eggs lightly beaten (omit for vegan)

• 3 cups cooked white rice

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce to taste

• Green onions, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Add your chopped bacon to a medium-sized skillet or work. Cook over medium-high heat until it is crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain the grease leaving about 1 tablespoon.

2. Next, add your chopped onion and frozen peas and carrots and sauté for 1-2 minutes until they are tender.

3. Slide your veggies to one side and add the beaten egg to the other side. Scramble the egg until it is cooked through. Combine it with the peas and carrots.

4. Add cooked rice and bacon back to the skillet and combine. Add sesame oil and soy sauce to taste. Let it heat through and garnish with chopped green onions.

Thanks to The Recipe Critic for this outstanding recipe. She has so many more delicious dishes on her website so check it out.

Easy Fall Off The Bone BBQ Ribs

Photo: Unsplash

These are so easy but no one will have any idea since they taste like you’re a barbecue champion-level chef.

Ingredients

• One rack of pork baby back ribs

• Juice of one lemon

• 1/4 cup dry rub (your own or Jenny’s recipe). If you want to prep them gluten-free, make sure to check the ingredients in your dry rub before using.

• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (your own or Jenny’s recipe) Make sure to check your barbeque sauce if you’re prepping these for a keto/paleo or Whole30 diet.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300° F.

2. Remove excess fat from ribs. Peel the silver skin off the back of the ribs - lift with a sharp knife and grab with a paper towel to remove.

3. Cut ribs apart into individual pieces.

4. Rub ribs all over with lemon juice.

5. Coat ribs with a dry rub. Place meat side down in a large baking pan, & cover tightly with foil, shiny side out.

6. Bake in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.

7. Remove from oven & pour off liquid.

8. Brush bbq sauce over all sides of ribs.

9. Grill: To finish ribs on the grill, remove from the pan and place ribs on the grill (I use a basket over direct but low heat) basting and turning a few times for about 10 minutes.

10. Oven: To finish ribs in the oven, set oven to broil and return ribs to the same middle oven rack, uncovered, basting and broiling about 5 minutes per side, watching so they don’t burn. They will be so tender, so it’s best to turn them using gloved hands. (If foil starts to burn, transfer ribs to a clean sheet of foil for broiling)

This recipe is courtesy of Jenny Can Cook. We scoured a bunch of recipes and this one seemed to be the most straightforward and simple. Enjoy!

PS: Prefer beef ribs? She has a recipe for that too.