Weeknight meals tend to be a slippery slope in our house: The best laid plans often devolve into snacking — or worse, dining out — unless we inoculate ourselves in advance with simple, quick recipes and easily-accessible ingredients.
This dish is just that — basically a one-pan meal that’s packed with protein and veggies, yet still full of decadent flavor. Make it early in the week, so you can re-purpose leftovers for lunches over rice or with noodles.
Thai-Style Pork Wraps
(Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)
Ingredients:
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, washed and chopped
- 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 limes, one juiced & one cut into slices
- 2 Tbsp grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp lemongrass paste
- 1 tsp red curry paste
- 1 lb boneless pork loin, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 cup sliced fresh green beans
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 1 head Napa cabbage
- Extra cilantro for garnish
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl combine the coconut milk, cilantro, soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, garlic, lemongrass and curry paste. Add pork; toss to coat, and set aside.
- Heat coconut oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat mixture. Cook for 5 minutes. Add green beans. Cook and stir for another 5 minutes or until crisp-tender and until pork is just slightly pink, stirring occasionally. Add carrots just before serving.
- To serve, top cabbage leaves with pork mixture. Garnish with additional cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Here’s a look at the process: First, wash & prepare all the vegetables (time-saving tip: I cut some corners on prep time and bought a bag of pre-shredded carrots).
Instead of a skillet, we used our favorite wok from the famous Wok Shop in San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Serve it up, making sure to garnish with a scoop of yummy sauce from the pan, and enjoy!
How do you ensure your weeknight meals are healthy?