Pulled Pork (or Chicken) Coleslaw

I will let you in on a small secret. This isn't actually pork. This is pulled chicken. But I felt that calling it pulled chicken wouldn't have the same effect, so I lied. And called it pork.  Have you ever done that? Lied because it sounded better, or conformed to the norm in what you saw to be a better way? Of course you have. It's the reason why we lie. We lie to make ourselves look more normal, or look like we belong. That's the truth.

Sundays are great for doing a mega slow-cooker meal. Take all day to let the food cook, and just relax while you do whatever else you want to do.  I think I beat this thought to death when I made Turkey Chili. But, sometimes Saturday are a better day for the slow-cooker, because it forces Sunday to be extremely lazy. For me, that massive slow-cooker day was yesterday, and today is now full of leftovers. But how do you avoid having the exact same thing for three meals on Sunday? You improvise, with a salad.

This really isn't your usual salad. It's a coleslaw. But it's a coleslaw meal.  How many times have you heard coleslaw and meal in the same sentence? I haven't. Ever. Coleslaw is normally a side dish. So am I crazy by letting it take the spotlight? No. Absolutely not. I figured I would make this lunch dish and then I would allow it to change my persona. I ate this while watching football. All that was missing was a gluten-free beer, some gluten-free pretzels and a niiiice big burp. Ok, so I'll forgo the previously mentioned list, and the alter football ego and stick to my really neat combination of a salad lunch. I will give the coleslaw its fifteen minutes of fame, and then I will let it quietly retreat back to the side dish category. While I quietly retreat out of a mega football Sunday, and into real life.

We start with some leftover pulled pork...

And we mix it with some leftover coleslaw.

Add some time (give the flavours about five minutes to mingle, ya know, get to know each other and then start to compliment each other)

And BAM! We have lunch!

And some football, couch-potato style.

Pulled Pork Coleslaw

Pulled Pork (or Chicken):

4 Medium boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup water

1 small onion, finely diced

1 tbsp garlic powder (or one minced clove of garlic)

2 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

 

Spicy Coleslaw:

2 cups green cabbage, shredded

2 medium carrots, grated

1/2 cup pickled hot peppers

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup mushrooms, sauteed  

Directions (steps 1, 2 and 3 should be completed the day before):

1. To prepare the pulled pork, combine all ingredients for pulled pork in your slow cook and cook on low for four hours. Once cooking time is complete, shred the chicken and mix around in the sauce. Allow to simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

2. To prepare the Spicy Coleslaw, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Allow the salad to chill 30 minutes prior to serving.

3. Saute the mushrooms over medium heat for approximately five minutes.

To prepare the salad:

4. In a bowl, combine equal parts mushrooms and pulled pork. Reheat mixture until hot, approximately 3 minutes in the microwave, depending on portion size.

5. Mix in an equal part of coleslaw and mix until evenly combined.

6. Serve with a lazy Sunday.