Egg Roll in a Bowl with Creamy Sriracha Sauce

Lately I've been hearing a lot of talk among my friends about this concept.  The internet is loaded with recipes and I was feeling a little left out.  After making this, I wondered what the heck I was waiting for?  So good!  This recipe is super easy and quick to throw together, and hits all the right marks.  How great is it to get one of your favorite Chinese recipes that's also healthy for you and free of all those preservatives?

You could totally swap out the protein for ground turkey or chicken if you don't eat pork.  You could even to a vegan alternative by using TVP and vegan mayo.  Anyway, options are always welcome when it comes to food... right?

#keto #lowcarb #highprotein #paleo #whole30  #diabeticfriendly #cleaneating #glutenfree #dairyfree   #asian #pork

Ingredients:  (4-6 servings)

• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 bunch of green onions (typically around 6), green and white parts divided
• 1.5 cups sliced baby portobello mushrooms 
• 1/2 cup red onion
• omit for keto
• 1 rounded Tbsp garlic paste or equivalent amount of minced
• 1.5 pounds ground pork
• 1 rounded Tbsp ginger paste or equivalent amount of finely minced
• 1 (8oz) can water chestnuts, drained
• omit for keto
• 1 Tbsp sriracha or hot sauce of choice
• Frank's hot sauce in keto friendly 
• 1 (18) oz bag coleslaw mix or broccoli slaw
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• sub light tamari (keto) or coconut aminos (gluten free)
• 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• Kosher salt to taste
• Garnish - Black and white sesame seeds 
• Garnish - Green tops of sliced onions 

Sauce - 

• 1/4 cup of mayo of choice
• choose whole30 compliant if you wish
• 1 - 2 Tbsp sriracha or hot sauce depending on heat preferences
• A pinch of salt 

Step-by-Step - 

In a heavy skillet, heat sesame oil over medium to medium high heat.  Saute white green onion bottoms, red onion and garlic a few minutes until soft and fragrant.  Then add sliced mushrooms and continue cooking until they get a little bit browned.  

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup diced red onions

green onion "bottoms"

1.5 cups sliced baby portobello mushrooms

To soft vegetables, add ground ginger, garlic, pork, and hot sauce, breaking up pork into small pieces.  Cook through about 7-8 minutes.  

1 Tbsp ginger paste

1 Tbsp garlic paste

1.5 pounds ground pork

3 Tbsp sriracha

When pork is almost cooked through but not dry, add in the water chestnuts, soy sauce/coconut aminos, rice wine vinegar, bag of coleslaw mix, and then salt to taste.  Stir and cook until cabbage is tender (about 5 minutes).  

1 (8oz) can drained water chestnuts

3 Tbsp soy sauce/coconut aminos/etc

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

18 oz bag coleslaw mix

While cabbage is cooking down, mix the sauce in a small bowl - 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 1-2 Tbsp hot sauce.  Season to taste with a pinch of salt.  Add sauce to a plastic squeeze bottle or small ziptop bag.   

1/4 cup mayo, 2-3 Tbsp Sriracha

Kosher salt to taste

When cabbage is cooked, serve egg roll mixture in bowls with green onion tops, sesame seeds and creamy hot sauce.  If you used a bag, just snip off a small corner of the bag to squeeze over the mixture.  

 Thanks for the inspiration for this recipe from 40 Aprons

Since this recipe would be amazing for your weekly meal prep, here are some other great meal prep options:

Mediterranean Spiced Salmon Power Grain Bowl

Thai Chicken Bistro Wraps with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Turkey Taco Salad Meal Prep

Asian Inspired Ginger Sesame Turkey Meatballs with Teriyaki Glaze

Written Method - 

1. In a heavy skillet, heat sesame oil over medium to medium high heat.  Saute white green onion bottoms, red onion and garlic a few minutes until soft and fragrant.  Then add sliced mushrooms and continue cooking until they get a little bit browned.  

2. To soft vegetables, add ground ginger, garlic, pork, and hot sauce, breaking up pork into small pieces.  Cook through about 7-8 minutes.  
3. When pork is almost cooked through but not dry, add in the water chestnuts, soy sauce/coconut aminos, rice wine vinegar, bag of coleslaw mix, and then salt to taste.  Stir and cook until cabbage is tender (about 5 minutes).  
4. While cabbage is cooking down, mix the sauce in a small bowl - 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 1-2 Tbsp hot sauce.  Season to taste with a pinch of salt.  Add sauce to a plastic squeeze bottle or small ziptop bag.    
5. When cabbage is cooked, serve egg roll mixture in bowls with green onion tops, sesame seeds and creamy hot sauce.  If you used a bag, just snip off a small corner of the bag to squeeze over the mixture.  

Fool Proof Fall Off The Bone Ribs (Slowcooker)

After making these a good half dozen times or so, and even going so far as to even giving my oldest child his own slowcooker to make his own (because he proclaimed these some of the best ribs he and his friends had ever had), I felt like it was probably high time to transcribe this recipe off of a sheet of paper full of "scribble scratch" into a honest-to-goodness typed up recipe that I could actually share when friends asked me for it.  

I have absolutely nothing against ribs on a smoker or a grill.  But hey... it's smack dab in the middle of winter here, and I'd rather be snuggled inside than adding woodchips to the smoker or braving the elements.  Total girlie statement there.  Let's face it, though - there are several reasons why making ribs in a slowcooker totally rocks!  Maybe you don't have a grill or smoker.  Maybe you don't wish to go out and stand around in the snow or wind or whatEVA!  Maybe you live in a small apartment and that's just not an option for you.  Maybe you have one and you're just not quite "there yet" in your comfort level.  Perhaps you just want to be able to put these bad boys on in the morning before work and have them tender and ready for the barbeque sauce and oven when you walk in the door from work!  (I'm raising my hand.)  Whatever the reason, these are amazing.  Ask my kiddos if you need witnesses. These come out so tender you will absolutely be astonished!  I'll add in the tips as we go through the post.

#glutenfree #dairyfree #slowcooker #easy #kidfriendly #pork #babyback #ribs #familyfriendly

Print this Recipe!

Ingredients (1-2 racks of baby back pork ribs)

Spice Rub

I make this up ahead of time and store it in an airtight container.  That makes prep faster when I’m ready to season the ribs in the morning.  I sometimes use it all on one rack, but it really is enough to accommodate two whole racks of ribs.

·       1 Tbsp paprika

·       1 Tbsp garlic pwdr

·       1 Tbsp onion pwdr

·       2 Tbsp brown sugar

·       2 Tbsp kosher salt

·       1 tsp cayenne

·       1 Tbsp chili pwdr

·       1 Tbsp black pepper

·       1 tsp steak seasoning (like Montreal or Chicago)

·       1 tsp instant coffee

Ribs

·       2-3 medium sized yellow onions

o   cut into thick slices

·       Good quality apple juice or apple cider

o   enough to cover the onion slices

·       Apple cider vinegar

o   a splash à maybe half a cup or so

·       1 - 2 nice meaty racks of baby back ribs

o   Membrane removed!!

BBQ Sauce

·       2 slices bacon, cut into ½” pieces

·       Fry until crispy, then remove pieces from saucepan, reserving bacon fat

·       To bacon fat, add 1 Tbsp EVOO

·       Add ½ cup chopped finely chopped onion to bacon fat and EVOO

·       Cook until onion is translucent and soft

·       Add 3 Tbsp minced garlic or garlic paste

·       1 (16 oz) jar apricot preserves
      2 cups ketchup

·       ¼ cup molasses

·       3 Tbsp Dijon

·       2 Tbsp brown sugar

·       2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

·       3 Tbsp honey

·       1 tsp dried thyme or 1 Tbsp fresh thyme

·       ¼ - ½ tsp red pepper flakes

·       Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

*Cook on simmer until desired consistency is reached.

Step-by-Step - 

The night before –
Make the spice rub.   Store in airtight container.  Doing this the night before saves you so much time! (*Hint - this "rib rub" would be such an awesome gift to someone!)

seasoning blend

In the morning –
Slice the onions into thick slices and line the bottom of the crock pot.  Don't skip this step!  This keeps the meat out of the liquid and OH MY GOSH, these onions are AMAZING at the end of the day!

thick onion slabs

Add apple cider/apple juice to cover the onions.  Then add a nice splash of Apple cider vinegar (ACV) to the apple juice for acidity.  This brightens up and balances out the flavors.

apple juice or apple cider

apple cider vinegar

Okie dokie.  Now this is the only technical part of the entire recipe.  Pull the membrane off of the ribs.  Yuck.  Loosen the edge with a knife or something until you can grab it.  Grab it with a paper towel and rip it off.  A paper towel works much better than trying to grab it with your fingers.  Trust me.  When you are lucky, it will come off in a sheet.  It will still look sort of white underneath, but you will know that you got it off when a thin, filmy sheet of skin stuff comes off.

Cut your rack(s) in half.  Otherwise they won't fit in the slowcooker.  Spread that great rub all over the entire rack – top and bottom.  Make sure you massage the rub into the meat really nice on all sides.

Add your seasoned ribs to the slowcooker on top of the onion slices.  I have ... ahem... several slowcookers.  The one I use for these ribs is an extra large size.  It can probably accommodate two racks of ribs easily; however one is more than enough for our needs right now.  

 Make sure you shut the lid tightly.

I set my slowcooker on low for 8 hours.  If you do not wish for them to be quite so tender and falling off the bone, check them for doneness earlier.  I realize that everyone has different opinions on this.

When you get home from work/school –
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Make your BBQ sauce if you'd like.  This can also be made ahead of time.  Note -  It freezes very well!  One batch of sauce lasts me about three meals of ribs.  I freeze it in small portions (think muffin tin sizes, or snack baggies than can be stored flat).

Carefully take the ribs out of the crock pot and set them out onto a foil or parchment lined baking sheet. 

You may need to use two spatulas (one on each side) to remove the ribs, as they will be SUPER tender at this point.

Allow yourself to have a little taste test if a small chunk of meat should happen to accidentally fall off during the transfer.  Yes - FALL off.  Literally.

Find SOME kind of use for these AMAZING onions.  Promise me you will taste these!  Wowwww! 

Recipe for homemade BBQ sauce is listed in ingredient list

Slather as much BBQ sauce as you want onto the ribs.

Pop them into the oven for up to 2 hours on 200F until a nice crusty bark has formed.  Or turn the heat up to 400F and just leave them in a little while until bark has formed.

It also works really great to put them on a cooling rack to put them in the oven.  That way they get to develop a bark on both sides with a little better circulation.

Gently cut apart into servings. 

Here are some Bonus Recipes I hope you will enjoy:

Happy Hour PIzza Rolls - every kid in your house will love these..even the grown ones!

Stuffed Peppers - old school with lots of nutritious delicious!

Cajun Crawfish Bread - it's that time of year, folks!  Substitute crab meat or shrimp if you don't live in the Gulf South.

Creamy Chicken Piccata - an Italian classic with a bit of twist.

Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Burgundy) - a French classic that will warm your whole family.

Method:

The night before –

·       Make the spice rub.

·       Store in airtight container.

In the morning –

·       Slice the onions into thick slices and line the bottom of the crock pot.

·       Add apple cider/apple juice to cover the onions.

·       Add a nice splash of ACV to the apple juice for acidity. 

·       Pull the membrane off of the ribs.  Yuck.

o   Loosen the edge with a knife or something until you can grab it.

o   Grab it with a paper towel and rip it off.  A paper towel works much better than trying to grab it with your fingers.  Trust me.  When you are lucky, it will come off in a sheet.  It will still look sort of white underneath, but you will know that you got it off when a thin, filmy sheet of skin stuff comes off.

·       Spread the rub all over the entire rack – top and bottom.

·       You’ll probably need to cut the rack into two pieces to fit into the crockpot.

·       Close the lid tightly.

·       Set the crockpot on LOW x 8 hours.

When you get home from work/school –

·       Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

·       Make your BBQ sauce.

o   This can also be made ahead of time.  It also freezes very well!

o   (think small portions like muffin tin sizes)

·       Carefully take the ribs out of the crock pot and set them out onto a foil or parchment lined baking sheet.

o   You may need to use two spatulas (one on each side) to remove the ribs, as they will be SUPER tender at this point.

·       Slather as much BBQ sauce as you want onto the ribs.

·       Pop them into the oven for up to 2 hours on 200F until a nice crusty bark has formed

o   Or turn the heat up to 400F and just leave them in a little while until bark has formed.

·       Gently cut apart into servings.