Pork carnitas with roasted corn and cilantro cabbage salad

I saw a yummy looking recipe the other day in a magazine that I’d been carrying around in the bottom of my purse for a couple weeks. Generally, I look at the picture, read the title and wing it. This was the case with tonight’s dinner and everyone loved it!

1 pork loin
1 tsp. olive oil
zest from 1/2 lime
1 tsp. each cumin and chili powder
pinch of kosher salt and pepper

2 C. frozen corn
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. each cumin and chili powder

½ head napa cabbage, finely chopped
¼ C. chopped cilantro
juice from 1 lime
¼ C. olive oil
pinch of kosher salt and pepper
-optional- thinly sliced radish

corn tortillas

-optional- sliced avocado

Heat grill to high, and oven to 350. While grill heats, rub pork loin with olive oil, lime zest, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Grill pork for 4 minutes per side, remove and wrap in aluminum foil and place in oven for 15 more minutes.

While pork cooks, place frozen corn on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, cumin and chili powder and bake for 15 minutes or until corn turns crisp. Wrap tortillas in foil and warm in the oven for 5 minutes.

Assemble salad by combining cabbage, cilantro, lime, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Season to taste.

Remove pork from oven, thinly slice and pour juice over pork. Place pork, cabbage salad and a little corn on a tortilla.

Mexican cabbage slaw

We made delicious black bean and brown rice burritos last night. The kids had wanted to make guacamole, so while they mashed away, I made a crunchy and refreshing salad to go with the burritos. The salad is really a snap to make, just throw everything in a bowl and toss.


1/2 head shredded Napa cabbage
1/2 head shredded purple cabbage
2 chopped scallions
1 finely sliced red pepper
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 C. toasted Pepitas (pumpin seeds)
1/2 diced green apple
1/4 C. Ume plum vinegar (if you don't have it, use red wine vinegar)
1/2 C. olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder

Combine all vegetables in a large bowl, add vinegar, oil , cumin and chili powder and toss well to combine.

This salad can easily be made Asian by using sesame oil, 2 cubes of frozen ginger and toasted sesame seeds. OMIT the Pepitas, cumin and chili powder.