Thanksgiving. Check. Possible weight gain? Check. The holiday season is here folks and, let’s be honest, it can be difficult to try and stick to strick paleo (or even modified) during this time. That being said, you know how your body feels when you start to slip and the “cheats” become a little more frequent. Sluggish, bloated, blech. So while the remainder of the holiday season is just around the corner, focus on fueling your body with as many clean and natural food as you can. And keep it simple. Between work, family, holiday parties and CrossFit, life can be really hectic. Do yourself a favor and plan ahead with simple and nutricious recipes. Below are a few to get you started. Happy holidays!
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5-Spice Slow-Cooker Pork Ribs
Prep 2 min. | Cook 6-12 hours in slow cooker
Ingredients: 3-4 pounds pork or beef ribs salt & ground black pepper coarse (granulated) garlic powder Chinese five-spice powder 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
Directions:
1. Lay the ribs on a cutting board and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Now rub a good amount of five-spice powder onto the ribs. I didn’t measure, but I was pretty aggressive with it; the top of the ribs were pretty evenly brown with powder.
2. Measure the rice vinegar and the coconut aminos into the bottom of a slow cooker. Add the ribs, cover, and cook on high for about 6 hours or on low for 8-10. Really, you can’t cook them too long. They’re ribs; they’re very forgiving.
3. Chill the liquid left in the bottom of the slow cooker so the fat separates. Bring the remaining liquid to a boil, simmer for a few minutes, then use as a dipping sauce for the meat.
Gingery Pork & Bok Choy Soup
Serves 2; easy to double, triple, quadruple | Prep 2 min. | Cook 2-8 hours in slow cooker | Assembly 5 min.
Ingredients: beef, chicken, or pork stock a big hunk of fresh ginger a few garlic cloves leftover 5-Spice Pork Ribs 1 head fresh bok choy or spinach, coarsely chopped 3-4 scallions, thinly sliced 2 hard-boiled eggs (optional)
Directions:
1. Place your stock in the slow cooker. Peel the ginger and cut into 1/2-inch slices; add to crockpot. Peel garlic and lightly smash with the flat side of a knife; add to crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours (or more).
2. When you’re ready to eat, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons water, and when it starts to boil, throw in the bok choy, sautéeing in the steam until it’s just tender. Divide among serving bowls. In the same pan, stir fry your desired amount of pork until it’s hot. Place the pork in the serving bowls, then ladle hot broth into the bowls until the veg and meat are almost covered. Sprinkle the top with sliced scallions and garnish with wedges of hard-boiled egg, if using.
(Source: www.theclothesmakethegirl.com)