Family Mealtime: Slow Cooker Tacos al Pastor

I’m really into my slow cooker these days.  It’s just so easy for me right now.  I make whatever I have to make during the day and during the evenings when I have to get my toddler/deal with my cranky baby, dinner is pretty much ready.  We’ve had some definite fails, but I feel like I’m slowly building up a repertoire of great slow cooker favourites.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, we like our little slow cooker. Why?

• smaller to handle and clean
• easier to store
• doesn’t make huge batches so you don’t have to eat the same thing for days
• if the recipes doesn’t turn out (which, let’s face it, happens) you don’t have food waste
• takes less room on the counter

Of course, you could argue the whole purpose of a slow cooker is to make big batches to freeze.  If that’s what you’re going for stick with the big guy.

I wanted to make pork burritos but was getting a little tired of the usual chilli/tomato based pork.  I remembered that we love the Tacos al Pastor from one of our favourite Mexican restaurants (Amaranto on Monkland) and thought it would be easy enough to recreate in the slow cooker.  If you are looking for the definitive authentic recipe – don’t look here.  I wanted to do something super easy (it’s just three ingredients) and toddler friendly (no spice and a little sweetness from the pineapple).  I do recommend putting a little Chipotles en Adobo to add complexity and spice but we’ve been having such dinnertime battles with my toddler these days I left it out.  I didn’t want him complaining it was too spicy and scratching at his tongue (such exaggeration!)

I turned the tacos into burritos.  OK, it’s a little odd to put pineapple in a burrito but hey roll with me people.  It got the job done.

Some of our favourite burrito fillers are:

• quick fresh tomato salsa (cut up tomatoes, cilantro and a squirt of lime if I have it)
• jarred salsa
• beans
• rice
• sour cream
• shredded cheese
• refried beans

I just serve these all to my toddler on a plate with some tortilla on the side and he can pick and choose what he wants.

So mix and mash and combine your food and don’t worry too much if it’s authentic.  As long as it’s healthy, home made and your children are eating it give yourself a slap on the back.  You’ve made it through one more dinner.