I’ve never been the sort of person to make a big deal about my own birthday. I always joke that nothing can ever top my golden birthday (turning 8 on February 8th) at the Universal Skating Rink in Orlando, Florida. My third grade guest list was awesome, the popcorn and pretzels were delicious, and I believe this may have been the first time I ever had ice cream cake. My parents couldn’t have done a better job!
This year, I was pleasantly surprised by a random act of kindness from my good friend Carolyn. A few days after my birthday I found a gorgeous cookbook and a post-it wishing me a happy belated 28th birthday sitting on my desk.
Now, when I say this cookbook is fabulous, it’s kind of an understatement. Skinnytaste Fast and Slow has nutrition facts, allergy notes (mostly pertaining to gluten), a nice variety of regional cuisines, plus plenty of meat and meatless options. Best of all, the recipes are super straightforward and concise. (As much as I enjoy trying new things, I’ve realized I have little patience for longwinded recipes.)
Since Jon and I both love Asian cuisine last weekend I finally busted out my cookbook for a little inspiration. The Slow Cooker Bahn Mi Rice Bowl recipe was literally everything I hoped. It was a little spicy, a little sweet, and required very little effort on my part.
I have provided an adapted version of Gina Homolka’s recipe below. If you like what you see here, I suggest grabbing this book for yourself or gifting it to a friend!
P O R K B A H N M I B O W L
Ingredients
1 Pound pork tenderloin
1/4 Teaspoon kosher Salt
1/8 Teaspoon black pepper
1/4 Cup soy sauce (Skinnytaste recommends low sodium but I used the regular stuff since that’s what I had in house)
1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 Cloves garlic
6 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1/4 Cup white granulated sugar
1 Cup shredded carrots
2 Radishes
1/2 Cup red onion (optional)
1 Cup red cabbage
3 Cups brown rice
1 Cup english cucumbers
2 Jalapeno peppers
1/4 Cup fresh cilantro
Process
For the Pork
1. Set crock pot to low and place the tenderloin inside. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and jalapeño. Cover the crockpot and let this cook for 6 – 8 hours.
2. When the pork is fully cooked, use a fork to shred the meat.
For the Pickled Veggies
1. In a medium to large size container add vinegar, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, carrots, sliced onion (optional), sliced radishes and any other desirable veggies. Seal the container tight and refrigerate for least 3hrs (I prepared mine the night before).
For the Bowl
1. Prepare 3cups of the rice of your choosing.
Time saver note: Jon and I used microwaveable rice (since it only takes 90 seconds). He used jasmine rice, I used a brown rice and quinoa medley— both were delicious.
2. Chop red cabbage into strips, cucumber into rounds, and cilantro into small pieces.
3. In a large bowl, scoop 1 serving of rice into the base of each bowl. Add pork, freshly chopped vegetables, and pickled veggies on top.
