Ally
This autumn slow cooker meal prep bowl is yummy, healthy, easy, and seasonal! Just put a few real food ingredients into your crockpot and let it do all the hard work for you.
So I recently started a new role within my company, and although I ~technically~ have much more free time now without grad school, I feel like I have no ~mental~ headspace while I’m learning the new job. Does that make any sense? By the time I get home I’m mentally tired and the last thing I want to do is think about food.
However, this presents a problem because that usually leads to ordering in food or going out to dinner, (aka queso & margs every night) which does not bode well for this whole wedding diet thing. Â In fact, we have our engagement photo session this Sunday so I REALLY need to crack down this week.
Enter: the autumn slow cooker meal prep bowl. Something that only uses a few, simple, seasonal ingredients, and basically cooks itself for you on a Sunday so you can eat healthy meals all week long. Â Whole grains, protein, no dairy, and lots of fresh produce? It’s a colorful, nutritious plate just waiting to be devoured by you.
Also- just a quick note regarding re-heating: if you use the optional crunchy toppings like apples, pomegranate seeds, Â or walnuts, try to keep those separate and cold. No beuno heated in the microwave. Â Learn from my mistakes, people.
- 2-3 lbs. pork shoulder (also called Boston butt)
- Salt & pepper
- Pork rub seasoning, (I used Jack Daniels Pork Rub)
- 1 Tbsp. dried rosemary
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 red onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 apple, peeled and sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 bunch kale, torn
- Cooked farro or other whole grain, (e.g. brown rice, quinoa, barley etc.)
- Optional crunchy toppings: sliced apples or walnuts
- Season the pork shoulder generously with salt, black pepper, pork rub seasoning, and dried rosemary.
- Place pork in the bottom of a slow cooker, and drizzle with apple cider vinegar.
- Cover the pork with the chopped onion, garlic, sweet potatoes, apples, and bay leaf.
- Secure the slow cooker's lid and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- When the time is up, shred the pork using two forks, add the kale the the slow cooker, and stir. Cover and cook 30 more minutes until kale is wilted.
- Serve over cooked farro or another whole grain, with a drizzle of the juice at the bottom of the slow cooker as "dressing". Optional crunchy toppings include sliced apples or walnuts.
