Egg Roll In A Bowl

We all look forward to getting more fresh food as we stay with our efforts not to binge on comfort foods as we know them. Who doesn’t love a good egg roll? For me, the crust is lovely on the outside, but the inside has a kind of oily, un-fried “skin” around the yummy filling.  I usually peel it off the skin and throw it away, since there’s no refund on calories or carbs that don’t taste good.

          The joy of cooking with a wok is inspiring. And so is the feeling of guilt-free veggies! I like to put breakfast sausage in my Egg Roll in a Bowl, rather than just pork, because it adds a punch to the flavor.

          My friend Becky started eating Keto-style a couple years ago. She told me about this, and my immediate reaction to the dish was, “Where have you been all my life?!”

          I’d eat Chinese food nearly every day, except that I’d have to miss out on all the other foods I love. This is a flexible meal, and the recipe can be cut in half when cooking for two. Honey loves hot and spicy foods, so he can have jalapeños and Sriracha on his.

INGREDIENTS:                                                                                      serves 4

1 tbsp. vegetable oil (or peanut oil)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger

1 lb. ground pork, OR 1 lb crumbled breakfast sausage, OR omit meat OR substitute with plant-based “meat”

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 c. shredded carrot

1/4 green cabbage, thinly sliced

1/4 c. soy sauce

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, heat a tablespoon of oil. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pork and cook until no pink remains.

Push pork to the side and add sesame oil. Add onion, carrot, and cabbage. Stir to combine with meat and add soy sauce. Keep cooking until cabbage is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. If using plant-based “meat,” brown it separately and set aside to add in at the end.

Transfer mixture to a serving dish and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve.

*Can add rice wine vinegar, Hoisin Sauce, hot sauce to bump up flavor during or after cooking

*Can use a bag of Cole Slaw Mix and leave out the slicing and dicing…but you’ll still need the green onions

*You can add brocolli, cauliflower, green peppers, mushrooms, or whatever else you like. It turns into more of a stir-fry, but it’s delicious!

*It’s worth an extra step to lightly toast the sesame seeds first