As you’ve seen I like to have salads for lunch but sometimes you’re in the mood for a sandwich or something warm. Today I was both. I’m not really a sandwich person because I don’t eat a lot of bread. All breads are different but typically breads are low in essential nutrients, high in calories and can even high in added sugars. Bread also contains gluten which can cause bloating, stomach aches, headaches and lethargy in people with gluten sensitivities.
So today’s solution: pulled pork sandwich with sweet potato replacing the bread. Pulled pork is often associated with being an unhealthy-summer-barbecue type food but this isn’t always the case. Part of that association is because pulled pork can often be served with calorically dense and nutritionally sparse foods such as chips, buns, creamy coleslaw and potato salad. Some versions also have lots of added sugars and sauces. But when you make your own pulled pork you can be in control of the added sugars and sauces to make it yummy but also a healthy source of protein. The best part is you can even cook it in a crockpot overnight!
On to todays bun innovation: the sweet potato. Little known fact about this guys is that you can cook them in the microwave. For this meal I used half a potato and cut it longitudinally into four big slices. Then poked some holes in it with a fork (this is really important unless you want an explosion). Next, I lightly coated the slices in olive oil, salt and cracked pepper for taste and microwaved them on a plate for 3 minutes. Then I piled on the pork, added a side salad for micronutrients and volume and enjoyed! I didn’t have any but think adding some guac/avocado would be a nice add-on. Either way these are delicious and super satisfying.
By swapping the sweet potato for bread I upped my intake of fibre, iron, calcium, selenium, vitamin B, vitamin C and beta-carotene (an anti-oxidant that converts to vitamin A once consumed). Having done a long workout with both cardio and strength this morning and it being a chilly January day this was a great way to refuel and warm-up mid-day. Give this swap a try and let me know what you think!
Fed and Fueled 