Spiced Mexican Pork and Veggie Stir Fry

If you thought my absence here this week might be indicative of a new arrival at my house . . . you would be wrong. No baby here yet. I find myself retreating, pulling back from everything just a little bit in preparation of what comes next. All of the "stuff" is ready, now I am doing my best to feel ready, to feel emotionally prepared. I'm getting there.

But if you ask my achy bones, or my lower back, or my swollen ankles, it's surely time to have a baby. It's going to happen any day now (ANY DAY!), thus the 30 minute simple Spiced Mexican Pork and Veggie Stir Fry. 30 minutes or less is as long as I can handle dinner prep these days, so our menu is a little stir fry heavy right now. This one, however, is a really good recipe and I wanted to share.

Stir-frying is a simple method for getting a veggie packed, flavorful meal on the table quickly. I went with Latin spices in this dish and even all the kids loved it! If I wasn't feeding kids, I might have made it a little bit spicier, but even keeping it more mild, it was still delicious.

Spiced Mexican Pork and Veggie Stir Fry

Ingredients

1 lb boneless pork loin chops, cut into ½ inch thick strips

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons grape seed oil, divided

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced

½ yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

½ green bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons unsalted tomato paste

1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (or to taste)

2 teaspoons raw honey

1 ½ cups corn, fresh or frozen and thawed

½ cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

¼ cup raw, shelled, unsalted pumpkin seeds

avocado and sour cream for topping

Directions

Prep all of your stir fry ingredients in advance to save time and simplify the cooking process.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add pork, cumin, and coriander, stirring to coat evenly. Stir-fry until meat is browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer meat and juices to a medium bowl and set aside. Return skillet to stove top and heat remaining tablespoon of oil. Add onion, bell peppers, and garlic. Stir-fry until tender-crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, chiles and honey and stir-fry for 1 minute more.

Stir in corn, broth, oregano, black pepper, pork and juices. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender and the meat is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in lime juice and top with cilantro and seeds. Serve over a blend of rice and quinoa or in tortillas. Top with chopped avocado and sour cream. Serves 6.

Recipe adapted from Clean Eating