SWEET & SOUR PORK STIR FRY VARIATION

NANCY'S SWEET & SOUR PORK STIR FRY VARIATION
2 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped, 2 1/2 ounces
1 small carrot, thinly sliced diagonally, 1 3/4 ounces
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 1/2-2 pounds leftover cooked pork loin roast, cut into 1" cubes *
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

SAUCE:
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
2/3 cup granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or a pinch of freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons Better "Heinz" Ketchup
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice wine or dry white wine
2 tablespoon Da Vinci sugar free syrup, pineapple flavor

To prepare the sauce, whisk all of the sauce ingredients in a 2-cup measuring cup; set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the carrots and onion until the carrots are almost crisp-tender. Add the garlic, peppers and pork. Stir-fry for a couple minutes until the peppers lose some of their crunch and the pork is heated through. Lightly sprinkle the xanthan gum over the surface then quickly stir in well. Give the sauce a quick stir then pour it into the wok. Bring the sauce to a boil; cook and stir just until it thickens slightly. Much more cooking at this point will result in soggy vegetables. Serve over chopped iceberg lettuce, if desired.

Makes 6 servings
Do not freeze

* About half to two thirds of a cooked pork loin roast.

With granular Splenda:
Per Serving: 279 Calories; 11g Fat; 32g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 8g Net Carbs

With liquid Splenda:
Per Serving: 268 Calories; 11g Fat; 32g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 6g Net Carbs

This is even better than the Sweet and Sour Pork they serve in Chinese restaurants because the sauce isn't overly sweet and sticky. This is a great way to use up leftover pork roast. The sauce would work great with chicken too, but I would either start with raw chicken or add cooked diced chicken at the very end and just cook long enough to heat it. There is only one thing that I'd probably do differently next time I make this and that's to cut the peppers into large chunks rather than strips. The strips look very pretty, but they're a little hard to eat when they're that long.

UPDATE: I've simplified the cooking method to make it easier and also switched some steps around to keep the veggies from getting overcooked.

I haven't tried Nancy's breaded pork version yet, but I've posted it anyway because this is a variation of that recipe. As you can see in Nancy's photo, her original version looks just as delicious.

NANCY'S SWEET & SOUR PORK STIR FRY
2 pounds boneless pork top loin, cut into 1" cubes
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Carbalose flour
5 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped, 2 1/2 ounces
1 small carrot, thinly sliced diagonally, 1 3/4 ounces
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup water
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

SAUCE:
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
2/3 cup granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons low carb ketchup
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice wine or dry white wine
2 tablespoon Da Vinci sugar free syrup, pineapple flavor
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

To prepare the sauce, mix all of the ingredients together except the xanthan gum in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Lightly sprinkle the xanthan gum a little at a time over the surface and briskly whisk in until the sauce thickens; set aside.

Dip the pork cubes in beaten egg, drain briefly, and roll in Carbalose flour to coat lightly; shake off any excess flour.

Heat a wok, or heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the wok is hot, add 3 tablespoons of the oil. When the oil is hot, add half of the pork and stir-fry until evenly browned, about 7 minutes; lift the pork from the wok and set aside. Repeat to brown the remaining meat, adding more oil if needed.

Scrape away and discard any browned particles from sides and bottom of wok, but leave the oil in wok. If necessary, add more oil to the wok to make about 2 tablespoons total. Place the wok over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions, carrots, and garlic; stir fry for about 1 minute. Add the water and green pepper; cover and cook stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Add the pork; stir the sauce then add to wok. Stir to coat the meat and vegetables with the sauce. Serve over Faux Rice, if desired.

Makes 6 servings
Do not freeze

With granular Splenda:
Per Serving: 359 Calories; 20g Fat; 32g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 10g Net Carbs

With liquid Splenda:
Per Serving: 348 Calories; 20g Fat; 32g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 8g Net Carbs

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