1 lb chorizo, casing removed (optional)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
1 large clove garlic, minced or crushed
1 TBSP coconut oil (not necessary to add oil if you’re using a meat product)
2 TBSP tamari
2 cups uncooked rice (cooked and then cooled if possible)
2 cans (14 ounces each) pineapple chunks
1/4 cup (about 2 oz) raisins
4 eggs, scrambled in a separate pan (can omit if including meat)
- Cook rice ahead of time (if possible) and let cool to room temp (or can refrigerate).
- In large saute pan (5 qt works well) on medium heat, saute the chorizo until cooked through (simply crumble the chorizo with the edge of a wooden spoon to break apart as sauteing).
- Remove meat from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- In the same pan, saute the onions and peppers until lightly browned (use coconut oil if you have not used a meat product).
- Add the crushed garlic and cook a few minutes longer.
- Add the tamari, cooked rice, pineapple (with all its juice), raisins, and cooked meat if using.
- Mix thoroughly and cook for 6-8 mins or until all ingredients are heated throughout.
- If including egg…In a separate pan, scramble the egg, roughly chop, and add to rice mixture.
Serves 6.
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SIDE NOTES:
~ Chorizo is a delicious, spicy sausage. It’s most typically made of pork, but one of my local farms offers goat chorizo which is what I use.
~ We absolutely love this dish. It’s been in regular rotation for quite a while now. The chorizo adds a really nice kick which is a good contrast from the sweet pineapple & raisins.
~ You can easily substitute a high quality (nitrate-free) bacon for the chorizo. The dish will lose it’s spiciness, but for many, the flavor of bacon makes up for it enough =)
~ You can use freshly cooked (hot) rice if you need to. Sometimes that’s the way it works out for me if I forget to start it ahead of time. The reason cold or room temp rice works better is because it’s not as starchy/sticky after it’s cooled. But you won’t ruin the meal if using hot rice.
~ I use either egg or meat (depending on what I have on hand), but you can include both if you’d like. The dish will be more kid friendly using bacon and/or egg (unless your kids like spicy in which case the chorizo will hit the spot quite nicely!).
~ I’ve been on a chorizo kick the past year so will post more recipes on ways to use it moving forward…
~ If eating vegan (which as a nutritionist, I don’t recommend), omit both the meat and egg and substitute a suitable protein.
Enjoy! =)
