I’m crazy for food in a bowl! I don’t mean cereal or the usual stuff that goes in a bowl. I mean making a meal that could be served on a plate but instead you stage it in a bowl. For me that adds an element of fun and makes it so easy to mush all the flavors together. Somehow it just tastes better!
Asian flavors really resonate with me like a comfort food. Every once in awhile I make something that knocks my own socks off and this one did that to me!
I love the rich warm flavor Chinese five spice adds to the meat and broth in this recipe. It’s easy to find in the spice aisle and it’s an exotic combination of anise, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and ginger, great for marinades and in Asian dishes.
Let’s make some love in a bowl!
Spray each side of pork with cooking spray and season with salt, fresh cracked pepper and a light sprinkle of Chinese Five Spices.
Heat a skillet on medium-high heat, lightly drizzle olive oil in pan and brown the pork on all sides for about 7 – 8 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with a little chicken broth and pour into the crock pot. The browned bits are flavor bombs!
In the crock pot, combine the broth, soy sauce or Tamari, balsamic, agave, sesame oil, Sambal, Chinese Five Spices, garlic and ginger.
Add the pork and set the slow cooker to 8 hours on low.
Remove the pork and set aside to rest a few minutes; add the mushrooms to the crock pot, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.
Shred the pork using two forks.
Toss carrot ribbons with a splash of rice vinegar. Let marinate until ready to use.
Place the broccolini in a steamer and steam until crisp tender.
When the mushrooms are tender, add the shredded pork to the crock pot and mix well to soak up the broth.
Assemble bowls with a mound of noodles or rice in the center of the bowl and top with shredded pork and broth.
Frame the mound of pork with broccolini on one side and carrot ribbons on the other side. Sprinkle with toppings and serve.
- 2 lb lean boneless pork sirloin roast – cuts like pork center rib roast, pork center loin roast
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
- Non-stick oil spray
- Olive Oil
- 1 C low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
- 1/2 C reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 C balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 C agave
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 Tbs Sambal Oelek Chili Paste
- 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spices
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 Tbs fresh grated ginger root
- 8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 2 bunches of broccolini
- Splash of rice vinegar
- 2 small carrots, peeled into ribbons
- Rice noodles or brown rice
- 1/4 C diagonally sliced scallions
- 1/4 C chopped cilantro
- Spray each side of pork with cooking spray and season with salt, fresh cracked pepper and a light sprinkle of Chinese Five Spices.
- Heat a skillet on medium-high heat, lightly drizzle olive oil in pan and brown the pork on all sides for about 7 - 8 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with a little chicken broth and pour into the crockpot. The browned bits are flavor bombs!
- In the crock pot, combine the broth, soy sauce or Tamari, balsamic, agave, sesame oil, Sambal, Chinese Five Spices, garlic and ginger.
- Add the pork and set the slow cooker to 8 hours on low.
- Remove the pork and set aside to rest a few minutes; add the mushrooms to the crock pot, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.
- Shred the pork using two forks.
- Toss carrot ribbons with a splash of rice vinegar. Let marinate until ready to use.
- Place the broccolini in a steamer and steam until crisp tender.
- When the mushrooms are tender, add the shredded pork to the crock pot and mix well to soak up the broth.
- Assemble bowls with a mound of noodles or rice in the center of the bowl and top with shredded pork and broth.Frame the mound of pork with broccolini on one side and carrot ribbons on the other side. Sprinkle with toppings and serve.
- For a Gluten Free version, substitute Gluten Free Tamari for soy sauce.
