Spicy Shredded Pork

I'm baaaaack! I'm now in the second trimester, and the idea of cooking doesn't make me nauseous anymore! Woo hoo!

I've been trying out a few new recipes, so hopefully I'll get them posted over the next few weeks. Here's the first.

This pork recipe is beyond delicious! We're talking melt-in-your-mouth good! The flavors are incredible, and though the recipe's name has "spicy" in it, this isn't spicy hot. It's spicy flavorful.

The original recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman, who is an incredibly talented cook, writer, photographer, etc. I made her recipe as written, but I cooked it in the slow cooker. So much easier! I've listed the slow cooker version below, but feel free to make it in the oven following the original directions.



Spicy Shredded Pork

4-7 lb. pork shoulder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1-2 tbsp. salt
pepper to taste
3-4 cloves garlic
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
2-3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 whole onion

Rinse and pat dry the pork shoulder. Place in the slow cooker.

To begin, just throw the dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar and brown sugar into a food processor or blender. Cut one onion into quarters and put it in the food processor with the spices. Blend mixture until totally combined and then pour it over the pork shoulder in the slow cooker.

Now rub it into every nook and cranny of the meat, tucking it under folds and in crevices. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours. (Do not add water. Condensation will build up in the slow cooker, making excess water unnecessary.)

Remove pork from slow cooker and let cool slightly for easier handling. Shred the pork shoulder (two forks work well). When it’s all shredded, pour excess juices all over the meat, but if you prefer a drier meat, skip that part.

Serve in tortillas with salsa and your favorite taco toppings, as I did in the photo above, or on MSPI-friendly hamburger buns with your favorite MSPI-friendly barbecue sauce.

Update on life

Hello friends. Sorry I've been MIA lately, but I have a very good reason: MSPI Mama has a bun in the oven -- and I'm not talking about bread! Our third child is due in early May, and we're super excited about it! Our daughter, Libby, can hardly contain herself!

I'm nearing the end of the first trimester and starting to feel better, so I'm hoping to be trying out some new recipes and posting them sooner rather than later. In the meantime, check out my friend Michelle's new website: Intolerant Offspring. She has a ton of recipes for you to try.

One thing that you may be wondering is what I've decided to do regarding the baby's likelihood of having MSPI. The conventional wisdom is that once you have a child with MSPI, chances are any subsequent children will also have it. Some doctors recommend going on the MSPI diet during the last trimester or for even the entire pregnancy. Well, I haven't decided what to do yet, but one thing I know for sure is that I'm not going on the diet until after Christmas! ;)

I hope things are going well for all of you! Take care!

Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli

Who doesn't love the "San Francisco Treat"? Rice-a-Roni is comfort food at its best, but unfortunately, the boxed stuff usually isn't compatible with the MSPI diet.

So Martha Stewart to the rescue! I found this recipe over at Everyday Food. It's super good and super easy -- well, not as easy as a box, but close!


Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli

1 oz. angel-hair pasta
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2/3 cup long-grain white rice
1 can (14.5 ounces) MSPI-friendly chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Hold pasta upright in a medium bowl, and, using kitchen shears, cut into 1/2-inch lengths; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice, pasta, and remaining tablespoon oil. Cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Add parsley, and season with salt and pepper; fluff pilaf with a fork.

Gazpacho Salad

So what's a girl to do when she's got a whole lot of cucumbers and tomatoes -- and she wants to have Mexican for dinner? Well, she makes Gazpacho Salad!

I found the original recipe at Taste of Home. I messed around with the amounts of the ingredients and left a few things out (because of personal taste and what I had on hand) but feel free to go with the original. It's completely MSPI-friendly as is.

Also, the Taste of Home version says to stack everything in layers. I'm not that fancy; I just mixed it all up in a bowl.


Gazpacho Salad

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 green peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin

In a large bowl, gently toss together the first four ingredients.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over vegetables. Cover and chill several hours or overnight. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Tip: Although the flavors intensify as this salad sits, it's still delicious served immediately without the wait.

Screaming S'Mores Bars

Who doesn't love ooey-gooey s'mores? Next time you go camping or attend a campfire outing, make sure you take along MSPI-friendly ingredients (marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate -- I use MSPI-friendly chocolate chips) so you can enjoy this awesome treat!

If camping and campfires aren't your thing, then make this yummy dessert! The original recipe came from Kraft Foods years ago, but I can't find the recipe on the website anymore. Thankfully, I still have a printout from 2002!


Screaming S'Mores Bars

7-8 MSPI-friendly graham crackers
1 1/2 cups MSPI-friendly chocolate chips
6 tbsp. MSPI-friendly margarine, divided
1 10-oz. package marshmallows
1 13-oz. package MSPI-friendly cocoa-flavored crisped rice cereal

Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Place graham crackers on bottom of pan, cutting crackers to fit, if necessary.

Microwave chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons margarine in microwave bowl on high for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Spread about two-thirds of the chocolate in a thin layer over the graham crackers.

Microwave remaining 4 tablespoons margarine in a 4-quart microwavable bowl on high 45 seconds or until melted. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Microwave 1-1/2 minutes or until marshmallows are melted and smooth, stirring halfway through. Stir in cereal.

Press cereal mixture firmly over chocolate-coated graham crackers in pan. Reheat remaining chocolate. If desired, add a touch more margarine or shortening to help thin it out. Drizzle the melted chocolate randomly over the cereal mixture. Cool; cut into squares.

A little tip: Before pressing the cereal mixture into the pan, I like to coat my hands with cooking spray. It helps keep the mixture from sticking to my hands!