Eat the Rainbow, taste the Pork

I've always liked art, love it actually. I have painted, drawn, made jewelry, and just about tried crafting everything. But it's never really been good. It kind of looks like a toddler made it. Seriously. Food is my art, edible art. Ingredients are my supplies, and the finished plate is like a canvas. Sometimes I flop in cooking too. Everyone does. You need mistakes to become greater, and it gives you the knowledge of what not to combine. 

Presentation definetly isn't my strong suite, but I do cook for a toddler and a grown man. I don't think either of them really look at their food before diving in. I respect people that can make food look elegant, it's definetly a skill that I don't have. I'm not much of an elegant person in any way. I am the least graceful person in the planet, tripped up the stairs today, and then fell down them. Sober, not carrying anything. That's how I am with food too. I can't stack, or place food in a way that it's appealing to the eye, I just hope the taste makes up for it. 

Taste, texture and aroma are my favorite aspects of food. Using fresh colorful ingredients is what makes food so beautiful. Every time you eat, is a chance to nourish your body. The best way to do that is with a rainbow of different foods. 

The weekend means I get to make dinner for my love. It was valentines, but we celebrated last weekend so it wasn't really in my mind. What was in my mind was pork. I thought I had a package of pork chops in the freezer, but when I went to take them out they weren't chops, but country style ribs. I prefer ribs, they probably wouldn't have lasted as long if I knew they were ribs. Anyways, Mr. King asked for chineese earlier in the week, and this was my perfect opportunity. 

Slow cooked Orange Sesame Soy Country Style Ribs

Mix in a bowl,

 orange juice, soy, coconut oil (melted), honey or agaves, garlic, chopped onion, toasted sesame seeds, ketchup and Sriracha BBQ sauce. 

Preheat oven 225 - foil line a pan and slice an orange thinly, lay across the bottom of the pan. Place ribs on top of the sliced oranges and cover with marinade. Cover with another piece of foil and place on the bottom rack. Cook 3-4 hours

Before you pull the pan out of the oven, get your sauce started.

Add Coconut oil to small sauce pan, sautee up garlic, ginger and chili sauce. Add orange juice, orange marmalade, honey, soy sauce, Sriracha BBQ, zest of an orange and splash of rice wine vinegar. If it's too thin add a small slurry of cornstarch and water. Heat to a slow simmer to thicken.

Take the pan out of the oven and turn up to 350

Drain the juices from the pan. Place the ribs back in the pan, they will fall apart at this point. They aren't at the pulled pork stage, but nice chunks of ribs. Cover in the orange BBQ sauce and put back in the oven for 30 minutes. The ribs will get sweet and sticky, they still pull apart but the tips will be crispy. they were delicious. 

H thought it was chicken and had about four helpings.

I served with sautéed bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli and Trader Joes Veggie Fried Rice. It was such an easy dinner. The hardest part is smelling the ribs cook for three hours before tasting. 

This weekend was full of good meals. We used the pork in a rollover meal, Tacos!

Homemade pineapple-mango salsa, Coconut Ginger-Lime Rice with all the fixins'

Of course we had brunch too!

Coconut Pancakes with Brown Sugar Spiced bacon and fresh fruit

Roasted Sweet Potatoes hash with mixed veggies, Arugula and Eggs to order

Brunch Bowl Mexi Style with taco leftovers and beans

We had a late lunch - early dinner today. I made some no-mayo tuna salad over arugula for me and an Ultimate PB and J for H. I don't like a traditional peanut butter sandwich. Maybe it's because, when I was little I would have a peanut butter sandwich every day for lunch. I didn't like jelly. I didn't like a lot back then. I hated them at one point so much, that I would throw them away at lunch. (I know now how much of a waste it is, but then not so much, just that I needed to dispose of said Pb Sammy) There came a time where I forgot to throw my sandwich away at lunch time. So I hid it under my dresser. Until we moved. Two years later. 

I never want H to hide her lunch. I always want her to be involved in food. I love how much she loves to eat and prepare her own food. 

Peanut butter with Raspberry Preserves, agave, cinnamon and bananas on Honey Wheat

Mayoless Tuna Salad over Arugula with Pineapple salsa

Hope you all got to eat some Rainbows this weekend!

-K