Coconut Rice

We don't typically eat much starch or grain at our house. I find that most of them, even the ones that are gluten free, don't agree with my tummy. However, every once in a while, we splurge a little and I seem to do ok.

The night we had our Sweet and Spicy Pork Roast with Mango Salsa, we accompanied it with some coconut rice. I have to say...it was delicious. A perfect combination with the mango and spice. The coconut flavor was definitely in the forefront, but not overpowering. I included some dried coconut when I cooked the rice. If you find that you don't like the texture of dried coconut, you can simply leave it out!


COCONUT RICE
1 cup water
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup rice (I used jasmine rice as that is what I had on hand, but regular white or brown rice work just as well. The brown rice adds a nice nutty flavor.)
3 tablespoons dried, unsweetened coconut
pinch of salt
handful chopped cilantro

Combine water, coconut milk, rice, coconut and salt in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 additional minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in cilantro.

Sweet and Spicy Pork Roast with Mango Salsa

It has been quite some time since I have posted anything here. Working two jobs and a hubby in law school keeps us pretty busy around here. I have found that I rely more and more on my crock-pot to make dinner happen. The majority of my upcoming posts will be focusing on crock-pot and/or make a-head meals...for breakfast and dinner! I really struggle with breakfast at times :)

However, last night I found myself with a night off and a generous amount of time to make dinner. That doesn't mean this meal took a generous amount of time. It was actually very easy! I threw the roast in the oven, put the rice on half way through and it turned out wonderfully. The only secret....making the salsa AT LEAST one day in advance. It needs time to sit and "marinate" in the fridge. I had originally planned to make this meal last weekend, so my salsa sat for a few days. It was still delicious, probably more so than it would have been the same day.

We love Asian flavors at our house. This is a great way to bring a new sweetly spiced flavor to a traditional pork roast. The honey allows for a slight crystallization on the outside, sealing in the moisture and flavor. The sweet chili sauce and siracha add a slight heat to the roast, which is easily modifiable to your individual taste!

SWEET AND SPICY PORK ROAST

2-3 pound pork roast (mine was a top sirloin roast from Costco)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
1 tsp honey
2-3 tsp siracha (adjustable to your personal heat level)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Trim fat off pork roast, as personally desired. Rub ginger and garlic powder mixture on all sides of the roast. Place in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the sweet chili sauce, honey and siracha. Set aside.
When the internal temperature reaches about 140 degrees (pork is safely done about 145 degrees), turn on broiler to low. Brush the outsides of the roast with the chili sauce mixture and place back underneath the broiler to allow the sauce to crystallize on the outside. I ended up brushing the sauce on 3 or 4 times. I did have a little sauce left over that I put on the table with the roast.
Remove the roast from the oven and tent with foil for about 10 minutes. Slice and serve with mango salsa. We ate ours with coconut rice and steamed broccoli. I will post the rice recipe tomorrow! :)

*I didn't have a roasting pan so I just line a baking sheet with tin foil and placed my roast on that. If you have a roasting pan, that would probably be a better option.


MANGO SALSA
1 mango, peeled and diced small
1/3 onion, diced small
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced small
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

Asian Style Turkey Burgers

I've never really been a big red meat fan, but I LOVE cheeseburgers. I used to know when my body was lacking in protein based on my burger cravings. That is definitely one thing I truly missed since going gluten-free. Yes, I know I can wrap them in lettuce, but it just isn't the same. That is, until recently.

We've replaced most of our red meat consumption with ground turkey and chicken. (The Hubby still enjoys a good steak every now and then.) Unfortunately, both can get really dry due to the minimal fat content in the meat. Often times, it leads to an unappetizing burger and generally, a disappointing experience.

Last week started with a burger craving, which I knew meant I was in need of some additional protein in my diet. I decided I was going to make decent turkey burger to quench the craving. The key was adding some water to the mix. Yes, it made the meat mixture very wet and sloppy. It almost wouldn't mold into burgers. I just kind of had to form it as best I could. However, they cooked very well and held together perfectly.

SUCCESS!! They were moist, juicy and overall wonderfully flavored. We love Asian food, so these fit in very well with our pallets. If you don't like spice, you can leave out or reduce the sambal oelek (spicy chili paste). Remember, you do have to cook turkey all the way through...no medium-rare burgers here. BUT....don't over cook them! The water will leak out and they will be come dry and flavorless.

We served ours with lettuce buns (and they weren't lacking, I promise), avocado, cucumber, red bell pepper, tomato, and cheese. I topped mine with sambal oelek mixed with some Miracle Whip. Hubby topped his with some homemade Thai peanut sauce.



Asian-Style Turkey Burgers

1 small/medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey (I used 93/7)
1 can water chestnuts, rinsed, drained and diced
1-inch ginger, grated
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 - 1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon sambal oelek* (or to taste depending on your heat preference. I'll probably add more next time as this wasn't very spicy)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Saute onions until the soften and begin to turn translucent. Add garlic and saute until both are soft and golden in color. Remove from the stove a cool just a bit.

In a bowl, combine onions, garlic, turkey, water chestnuts, ginger, soy sauce, sambal oelek and cilantro. Add water slowly, combining everything with your hands. Depending on your altitude and the humidity, you may need more or less than 1/2 cup. You want a wet mixture, but on that will still stay together. This DOES NOT form together the same way ground beef does. That's ok. They will cook up just fine. Form into 4-5 patties, depending on how big you like your burgers. Grill about 5 minutes per side, but watch them carefully so they don't become over-done and dry.

Enjoy with your favorite burger toppings or favorite Asian toppings.

*NOTE:
I buy the majority of my Asian ingredients at our local Asian market. I find they are much cheaper than the regular grocery store.