cuban salad bowl

#21DaysofGreens.

How’s it going? Getting those greens in? I hope it isn’t brutal. Remember, it should be something you enjoy, something you crave. Are you getting there? You want to know my secret for the most satisfying and filling salad? WARMTH. Yes, hot layers of food on top of a cold, crisp bed of lettuce. Don’t get me wrong, I really have nothing against a cold salad. It is fine, edible and enjoyable. It just doesn’t leave me wanting more, leave me craving it for breakfast. No cold salads don’t give me warm fuzzy feelings but the mixture of warm and cold does. It is the perfect collision of health plus satiety. And this cuban bowl has multiple layers of warmth with the pulled pork, ‘rice’ and beans and those fried plantains.

Can we talk about those plantains for a minute?

I fallen head over heals for plantains. Crisped, sweet plantains fried, salted and served hot. They are the star, the winner, the reason I want more. Have you tried them? Plantains? Seriously, it has to happen. But it isn’t so much about just frying up plantains, it is about picking the perfectly ripened plantain to get the desired soft and sweet center. How do you do this? A very ripe plantain.

Do you know what a ripe plantain looks like? Well my daughter would tell you it looks like a very rotten banana, follow by “disgusting.” Because we are no longer four but fourteen. We have a lot of attitude and sass in here and there is definitely an opinion or two. ->SOMEONE HELP US<- It is true however that a perfect plantain looks like a rotten plantain. Don’t be fooled by the color, the riper it is the sweeter it is and the more grateful you will be.

I can’t gush enough about plantains, they are the star of this dish. Would it be okay to just pile fried plantains in a bowl and call is a salad? I thought about it but then I thought I may be pushing my own rules a bit. Oh, I’m only human. If you’ve ever had plantains, you know what I’m talking about. You really need nothing else but them. So in light of this challenge and amusing you, I added a few more layers to this dish.

Slow cooked pork with beans and rice, avocado an plantains. Peeerrrrrfection!

What is your favorite satisfying salad? Don’t forget to tag your salads with #21daysofgreens for a chance to win a free pass to my new nutrition program!

And now off to eat my heaping bowl of plantains. ->IN MY DREAMS<-

Cuban Salad Bowl

 

PREP TIME

20 MINS

COOK TIME

30 MINS

TOTAL TIME

50 MINS

 

Author: Alexa Schirm

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ripe plantain
• 2-3 Tbsp coconut oil
• 4 cups chopped mixed greens
• 2 cups cauliflower rice
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 cup black beans
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp sriracha
• 1 avocado
• ½ cup salsa
• 2-3 cups pulled pork

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook pulled pork according to directions.
2. Heat a small skillet over low-medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil.
3. Once hot add in the diced red pepper and minced garlic.
4. Cook until just beginning to soften and add cauliflower rice, beans, cumin, salt, pepper and sriracha.
5. Stir to combine. Cover and let cook over low heat until the remaining ingredients are done.
6. Peel and slice the plantain.
7. Add 2 Tbsp coconut oil to a pan over medium heat.
8. Once oil is sizzling add in plantains. Cook 2-3 minutes or until golden and flip.
9. Remove and let drain on a napkin lined plate. Sprinkle with salt.
10. To prepare salad bowls add chopped lettuce, add pork, avocado, salsa and cauliflower rice & bean mixture along with fried plantains. Enjoy!

source:https://simplerootswellness.com/cuban-salad-bowl/