Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps - TDF

I just spent 8 blissful days in the beautiful West side of Maui, HI. It was my first time going to Hawaii and it was better than I'd expected. We rented a condo and spent most nights cooking for ourselves. However, I did venture down to a little town called Lahaina for happy hour and had the most delicious Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps from a restaruant on the beach called Kimo's. They were divine. Simply assembled but full of flavor and very satiating, yet the lettuce aspect kept them from being too filling. Below is my version of the same meal!

Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps - To Die For

Yields: approx. 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 3lb pork butt roast, trimmed of excess fat
1.5-2 C your favorite BBQ sauce*

Butter lettuce
1/2 red onion, thickly diced
Pepper

Directions:

Place pork roast in a crockpot, pour BBQ sauce over the roast and cook on low 8-9 hours. Shred with forks and mix well with remaining sauce and liquid. *Alternatively, cook roast and sauce in a dutch oven at 350 degrees for 4-5 hours.

Lightly saute diced onion in olive oil for 3-5 minutes until soft but not brown. Dust with pepper.

Wash and dry butter lettuce, place pulled pork into the middle of the wrap, top with onions and a dollop of organic ketchup* and a few dashes of hot sauce.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

*Paleo BBQ sauce recipe:

1 small can tomato paste
1 C natural apple juice
1 T chilli powder
1 T hickory smoke spice
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t paprika
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t cayenne - add more for spicier flavor

Simmer in small sauce pan for 20-30 minutes, add to glass jar and serve with anything you enjoy BBQ sauce with!

*Never buy ketchup with high-fructose cornsyrup! You can buy organic ketchup from the condiment section in your local grocery store. Organics and Heinz have great versions!

Fort Langley Cranberry Pie

I grew up in Fort Langley, British Columbia - the birthplace of British Columbia. It's beautiful! There are large cranberry fields in Fort Langley and every year they host the Cranberry Festival in the Fall. If you've ever been to Fort Langley, you would notice they also have a Hazelnut Grove where you can purchase fresh hazelnuts. These two elements gave me an idea to adapt a recipe my Mom used to make, called "Nantucket Cranberry Pie". Originally made with cranberries, plums and walnuts, I decided to tweak it and use fresh cranberries and hazelnuts. Cranberries may not be in season, but their tartness pairs well with the wholesome, sweet flavor of the hazelnuts.

PS. This recipe is so easy even a toddler could make it.

Fort Langley Cranberry Pie

Yields: 1 10" pie

Ingredients:

2 C chopped cranberries
1/2 C chopped hazelnuts
1/2 C sugar

2 eggs
3/4 C melted butter
1 C sugar
1 C flour
1 t almond extract

Directions:

Lightly grease a 10" springform or cake pan. Preheat oven to 350.

In a small bowl, mix together cranberries, hazelnuts and 1/2 C sugar. Form a layer in the bottom of the pan.

Using an electric mixer, combine eggs; melted butter; sugar; flour and almond extract. Mix until smooth. Pour over cranberry layer and bake 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool. Use a large plate and place it over the top of the pan. Turn over and carefully remove the pie from the pan, cranberry layer-side up.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

*You could try a different mixture of nuts or a different flavor extract, orange would pair nicely with the cranberry.