If you’ve ever had the classic Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich, you probably know the bread can easily overpower the pork, pickled carrots and all the wonderful flavors, so I scrapped the bread and put all the goodies in a bowl over brown rice (it’s great over any grain) in my slim remake which is easy to make any night of the week!
And since so many are asking, although I have and love my Instant Pot, I still love my slow cooker! I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker (affil link). I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it’s done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This slow cooker is so great, I actually own several!
This recipe is a preview of what you’ll find in my second cookbook, Skinnytaste Fast and Slow: Knockout Quick-Fix and Slow Cooker Recipes which is now available for pre-order! This book has a total of 140 nutritious, flavor-packed, figure-friendly recipes—60 for the slow cooker and 80 that cook in 30-minutes or less!—so you can get a great homemade meal on the table any night of the week.
Each recipe includes nutritional information—from registered dietitian Heather K Jones—that will help you take steps toward your weight and health goals. Many dishes are vegetarian, gluten-free, and freezer-friendly, and these are called out with helpful icons. Also, this book has even more photos than the first, with 120 color beautiful photographs taken by Helene DuJardin.
Available to order from these online sellers:
Target | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound
Slow-Cooker Banh Mi Rice Bowls
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 jalapeno, sliced
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce*
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
For the pickled carrot:
- 6 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 radishes, cut into matchsticks
For the bowls:
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumbers, about ½ small
- 1 small jalapeno, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Season the pork with salt and pepper and place into the slow cooker. Combine the garlic, jalapeno, soy sauce and brown sugar and stir to dissolve, pour over the pork.(NOTE: If your slow cooker runs hot, add 1/4 cup water). Cover and cook on low for 6 hours until the pork is very tender, turning once half way through if desired. When the pork is ready, shred the meat. Reserve the sauce.
- Meanwhile, while the pork is cooking, make the pickled carrots and radish: In a medium glass bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Add the carrots and radish and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Drain well and refrigerate until ready to use.
- To assemble the bowls, place 3/4 cup rice in each bowl, top each with about 2 1/2 oz pork, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sauce then top with the 1/4 cup shredded cabbage, 1/4 cup pickled carrots, 1/4 cup cucumber, sliced jalapenos and cilantro.
