Recipe Roulette

What’s for dinner?  I know many of us get tired of this daily question. Coming up with new ideas and meal options can feel exhausting when coupled with the busy schedule of work, or even just balancing family member schedules.  I try to plan out at least a couple days of meals, so that I am more efficient with my grocery shopping, meal prepping and cooking. Often by day four, the planned meals have come to an end and I have an assortment of leftover ingredients on hand.  This is where I play what I call ‘Recipe Roulette’.

This week I had leftover ground pork I had previously cooked with sausage seasoning. This was the last of the meat from a pasture-raised pig we split with a friend. Good quality meat can be pricey. But finding a local rancher who raises and sells high quality animal products, while it’s an investment on the front end, can save you money in the long run. I also had a half a head of cabbage.  Because it had snowed I wanted it to be warm and hearty, so I added coconut milk to the mix. On Pinterest I searched the following: ground pork, cabbage, coconut milk, paleo.  Entering ’paleo’ will help reduce the selections to options that have already eliminated ingredients I avoid (e.g., wheat, soy, dairy).

I with the Tumeric Pork Skillet recipe, and let me tell you – I hit the Jackpot! I made a few modifications, adding in additional veggies I wanted to use up and the end result was delicious! The leftovers I had for lunch the next day were even better, with all the flavors marinating together.  I’ve posted the recipe below for you to enjoy.

The risk with playing recipe roulette is that you might come across a meal or two that isn’t a hit, but this one is definitely a keeper. Next time you are dreading deciding what to make for dinner, give Recipe Roulette a try.  I hope you find a new favorite to add to your repertoire!

Ingredients

  • 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil
  • 6 cups grated cabbage (easiest way is in the food processor)
  • 2 cups grated carrots
  • 1/2 red bell pepper diced
  • 2 cups chopped kale
  • 1/2-3/4 lb of previously cooked ground pork with sausage seasoning (can use uncooked too)
  • 1 teaspoon of granulated onion
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons dried cilantro
  • 4-6 ounces of full fat coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon of coconut aminos

Directions

  1. Melt coconut oil in large soup pot over medium heat.  (I often use a soup pot and then I don’t have to worry about ingredients overflowing and falling out of the pan/pot).
  2. If using uncooked meat, add meat to the pan with seasoning and cook until browned. Once cooked through, remove meat from the pan and reserve for later.  Use this same pan for cooking the rest of the meal.
  3. Once melted, add the grated cabbage, carrots and bell pepper.  Sprinkle sea salt throughout the pan and mix to combine.
  4. Sautee veggies until softened.  If they start to stick to the pan, add a little water, mix and cover to steam.
  5. Once veggies are cooked, add in pork, turmeric, and cilantro.   Mix to combine.
  6. Add in coconut milk and coconut aminos.  Mix to combine, cover and reduce heat to medium low to warm all ingredients.  Once warm throughout, serve and enjoy!