Carnitas Burrito Bowls

I was really craving enchiladas tonight. Saucy, cheesy, warm, super yummy enchiladas from one of those hole in the wall Mexican places. Mmmm, with some rice and beans and chips on the side... But, I realized shouldn't spend the money or devour all those calories. Instead, Lou and I decided to stay in and make some Carnitas Burrito Bowls. Smart move, especially since guacamole will not cost you extra at Felice's.

I made the carnitas a few days ago - Sunday to be exact - and allowing the flavors to set really adds more to the taste of the meat. The recipe I followed was found on Pinterest. It is technically a slow cooker recipe, but instead of using one of my slow cookers (yes, I own 3 of them...), I decided to try out the recipe in my pressure cooker. Using the meat/chicken setting for about 1 hour resulted in super tender meat.

Here is the Carnitas recipe, which will yield about 4-6 servings.

Ingredients:

3 ½ - 4 pound boneless pork butt/shoulder, cut into equal pieces

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon cumin

8 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium onion, quartered

3 bay leaves

1 lime, juiced

1 large orange, juiced (save the orange halves)

Steps: 

Combine meat and spices (salt, pepper, oregano, cumin) in a bowl making sure each piece of pork is covered.  Transfer seasoned meat into pressure cooker pot. Add garlic, onion, bay leaves, lime juice, orange juice and orange halves. Cover and set pressure cooker for one hour. Once time has elapsed, remove pressure from cooking pot according to your unit.

Remove meat from pot and transfer to a foil lined baking sheet. Shred meat using forks. Ladle some of the cooking liquid from the pressure cooker onto the meat. Place baking sheet under the broiler until meat browns and crisps a bit more.

To make the burrito bowls we combined the meat with Cilantro Lime Rice (one cup cooked Jasmine rice, handful of cilantro, one lime and pinch of salt) & Guacamole (avocado, onions, tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, pinch of salt, and lime juice). Lou put some shredded Mexican cheese blend on his while I did not because I am semi-lactose intolerant. Self-diagnosed. Next time, I want to add some beans, lettuce, and maybe some pico de gallo. Mmmm.. The possibilities are endless!

 Let me know how this recipe works out of you. :)

- F 

Welcome!

I have always loved food and it has been an integral part of my life from since I can remember. Growing up, I had the advantage of learning how to cook and eat (yes, knowing how to eat is a thing) from both my parents - the best cooks in the world! Not that I am biased or anything. Ironically, one of the best things to happen in my life was the separation of my parents when I was young. This gave me the opportunity to distinguish their cooking styles and food preferences.  

I started learning how to cook around the age of 7 or 8. I remember always being in the kitchen whenever either of my parents was cooking – mostly because I have a hearty appetite and am almost always starving. Eventually, observing morphed into helping out with small tasks, and soon enough I was in charge of meal preparation all together.

My love for food extended beyond the kitchen and dining table at home, and eventually developed into what I studied in school. I completed my Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Nutrition and Food. However, I do not claim to be an expert and I am not a registered dietitian. All the information on this blog is purely based on my personal experience.

I love reading books about food and how it affects every aspect of the human experience. I am intrigued by documentaries concerning our food sources on this planet. I grew up watching the Food Network and love learning new recipes. And, my favorite kind of shopping is anything related to food and the kitchen.

My dream job has always been to be a food stylist and/or food photographer. So, I've decided to just go for it and start sharing my food-ventures with whoever is reading this. Hopefully, you will find this blog helpful and inspiring. And most importantly, I hope this blog leaves you hungry for more! Check back soon!


Thank you! :)


- F