Convenience Vs. Preparation

Life has made it so easy to run through a drive through, grab a coffee to go, eat in our cars and eat so quickly we virtually forget to chew.

My goal is to break that cycle. Not completely.
But enough to where we are ENJOYING food and it’s giving us LIFE!
You know that’s why they call it a DIE-t, right?

When we eat balanced meals, full of a variety of fruits, vegetables, meats, grains, beans, etc., we are fueling our bodies to make better choices for our physical health, our mental/emotional health, to show up for our families as our FULL self.

Step One? Preparation.
Did you know that being prepared can alleviate impulse eating, cravings, overspend, under-nourishment?
You can feel it. It shows up as unwanted belly fat, anxiety, financial pressure, inability to control your habits.

Here’s a secret: Pork butt four ways.
I got my inspiration from a few of my favorite bloggers.

First, Cassie Joy (Fed+Fit) has released an AMAZING cookbook called “Cook Once, Eat All Week”. It displays how to use three ingredients each week to make a variety of meals. She breaks it down into pieces for a straight-forward idea.

I started my love of food five years ago with a cookbook called “PaleOMG!” and it has served me well. I introduced my husband to mangos and plantains and avocado and I’m convinced that’s why he married me. To this day, Julie Bauer inspires me with her workouts, food pics and overall pizzaz for life.

It’s also thanks to Simply Whole Moms. When I first became a step-mom, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t read “What to expect when expecting.” So I had to surround myself with education and knowing I wasn’t alone in this struggle to bring health to a family that lives in this conventional world.

But there was one thing missing from these bloggers. It seemed out of reach. When Coconut Aminos isn’t a “staple pantry food” what do you do? When you don’t know what an actual plantain is, how do you know it tastes good?

I grew up in rural Indiana. I grew up on mac and cheese, meatloaf, steak and potatoes, hot dogs, chicken fingers, hot pockets, and a load of other basic Midwest cuisine. So how do I bring education, simplification, and recipes to my fellow Midwesterners without scaring them off or costing them an arm and a leg? 

Our mission with T&E Empowerment is to do exactly that! We are there to simplify, answer questions and do a lot of the work for you.

So here’s recipe one of four in my Pork Butt Four Ways series: Teriyaki Pork Lettuce Wraps with Pineapple Slaw. All these ingredients can become cupboard staples, so it's okay if you have extras. Allowing yourself to stock up on these ingredients will allow you to have easy access in the future.  

For the Sauce: 

• 1/2 c Coconut Aminos (you can use tamari, but won't be as sweet) **This ingredient is a little more expensive, but it will make your sauce taste a lot better. 
• 1/4 c Water
• 3 tbsp Honey
• 2 tsp Grated Ginger
• 3 Garlic Cloves, minced (you can buy this pre-bottled, as we will use it for many recipes and has a longer shelf life)
• 1/8 tsp chili flakes

Mix all together and set aside.

For the Pork:

I follow THIS recipe. The beauty of this is you can buy one pork butt when it's on sale. Once cooked, you can shred, separate and freeze the remaining until you're ready to use it again. 

For the Salsa:

• 3 c Finely Diced Pineapple (You can adjust the amount based on how many are eating. Use the leftovers as snacks for work or in the morning)
• 1/3 c Minced Red Onion
• 1 Large Jalepeno, seeds removed and minced (optional)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper (You can use other colors, but the red works best)
• 1/2 c Chopped Cilantro
• 2 tbsp Lime Juice
• Salt to taste 

Assemble:

Combine sauce and pork. Take a leaf from a lettuce like bib or romaine, put about 1/4 cup of pork on top of the leaf (fill 'er up, if you so wish), and top with salsa. 

Enjoy!