Slow Cooker Pork, Turnip and Collard Green Stew

Pork, turnip, collard green and carrot stew

Some of the world’s greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible. ~Doug Larson

So after all that prattle about the pork shoulder, here's the recipe for the slow-cooker stew. It was delicious - I think this is a recipe for two, but I ended up eating the whole thing myself.

Slow-Cooked Pork, Turnip and Collard Green Stew

Serves 2

1 lb. pork shoulder
5-6 small turnips
5 collard greens
2 small parsnips
1 stalk of celery
1 carrot
1 cup whole wheat fusilli (but you can use any grain you like)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 shakes Worcester sauce
water
any other vegetable you like - onions, potatoes, etc.

1. Chop the turnips, parsnips, celery and carrots into bite sized soup pieces. Turnips should be small (2 inches or less) and heavy.
2. Strip the collard green stems off the leaves and slice leaves into strips. (collard stems can be saved for vegetable juice)
3. Put all the vegetables into the slow cooker.
4. Add the pork shoulder. I had to chop mine off the bone since it didn't fit, but the original plan was to just pop it into the slow cooker without any hassle.
5. Add in 2 soy sauce and a couple shakes of Worcester sauce.
6. Add enough water to cover the vegetables plus another 2-3 inches. Unless the water is 3/4 inches from the top of the cooker. If so, only fill it until it's 3/4 inch from the top.
7. Turn cooker on low. Let cook for 8+ hours.
8. When you're ready to eat, cook the pasta separately. If you have pre-cooked grains, add them in at the end. Do NOT cook grains for hours in the slow cooker- they get overcooked, clumpy and gross.
9. Skim off fat as necessary.
10. Spoon stew over pasta and enjoy!

What I ate: vegetable juice, 1/2 c. kefir, bread, mixed greens + cranberries + blue cheese + pistachios + grape salad, Cosi bread, 2 coffees, 6 squares dark chocolate, 1 apple, 1 oz. Simply Naked Pita Chips, 10 Downing: tiny salmon amuse bosche, celery root soup + creme fraiche, braised short ribs, 1 slice bread, chocolate panne cotta, lemon granita, 1 green tea, 45 oz. water

Exercise: 30 min lifting