Paleo Sweet and Sour Pork

When I was a kid, if I got A’s on my report card my reward would be going out to eat at the restaurant of my choice. Every time I picked the China Buffet. Yep, greasy buffet food was my favorite treat because we never got to eat anything like it at home! I would fill my plate with sweet and sour pork, and cream cheese wontons. Heaven!

Well, I grew up and learned that those buffets are not filled with health food. Not even close. Most of the food is filled with added sugars, MSG, and way too much refined salt! I still crave the stuff though. So, naturally I had to figure out a way to make some of these foods in my kitchen, in a healthier version.

I came across the amazing new cookbook that Russ Crandall from The Domestic Man recently put out: Paleo Takeout. I immediately bought the book and started experimenting. Let me tell you, this book is my new favorite food porn book! I want to make all the recipes immediately! I started with his Kung Pao Pork, and then made the recipe my own. I rarely actually follow recipes, it’s too much fun to experiment! So, after some experimenting it ended up being a healthy sweet and sour pork! My husband barely took a breath when he ate this one. It’s good!

Ingredients:

2 cups pork, cooked and diced
1 Tbsp coconut oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
2″ piece of ginger, minced
2 Tbsp gluten-free tamari
2 Tbsp dry white wine or rice wine
2 Tbsp arrowroot powder — where to find
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar — where to find
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp fish sauce — where to find
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp bone broth
1-2 Tbsps sesame seeds
Steamed broccoli
White rice, cooked

Directions:

In a skillet over medium heat, saute the coconut oil, garlic and ginger until fragrant
Add in the pork

Whisk the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl (except the sesame seeds)

Pour into the skillet with the pork

Cook until well combined and hot
Add in the sesame seeds. I like a lot of them, add as much as you prefer (do you like how I now turned it into sesame pork? It’s really an Asian infusion recipe!)

Serve with white rice and broccoli (I steam the broccoli in my rice cooker, while it’s cooking the rice. That way the nutrients from the broccoli aren’t lost in the water, they go into the rice!)