[Paleo] Green pepper-braised pork shoulder with cauliflower rice and guacamole

Here's another paleo meal! Truly actually paleo -- I made some "maple syrup and balsamic beef with mashed potatoes [potatoes are paleo now, you know]" last night and woke up SO THIRSTY and could feel the weird sugar hangover. Come to think of it, it might have been the apple strudel I made for breakfast; I suppose it will just have to remain a mystery. It seems my pattern is to jump with every fiber of my being off the wagon into SUGAR, and then swim my way back (dragging my exhausted pancreas with me) to this new paleo "normal" I like to think I've established. It's getting easier to come back to; before, I'd have my little sugar fix and be like, "well, it's over," and go back to my not-so-healthy ways. Sometimes I'm snowed in and I just need to bake, it's just the way it is. Anyhoo, here's a delightfully sugar-free dinner that is super satisfying and delicious.

[Paleo] Green pepper-braised pork shoulder with cauliflower rice and guacamole

For the meat:

butter (or fat of choice)
1 small yellow onion, sliced
1.5 pounds pork shoulder, salted the night before and left in the fridge
2-3 cups chicken stock (water is fine if you don't have stock)
1 small can green chiles

Melt the butter in a dutch oven or stock pot. Add sliced onions and saute until they have some color. Add the meat to the bottom of the pan to sear on all sides. Add chicken stock and turn heat to low, cooking (covered) for 2-3 hours until the pork is fork tender. Remove the lid and increase heat to create a steady simmer (not a boil) and reduce the liquid for about 30 minutes. Add the can of green chiles. Taste and adjust seasonings.

For the guacamole:

2 ripe avocados
1/4 of a red onion OR 1 small shallot, (or heck, even a white onion if it's all you have) diced very small
1 roma tomato, de-seeded and chopped
juice of half of a lime (or a lemon)
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Mix everything together in a bowl. Done!

For the cauliflower rice

Open a frozen bag of cauliflower rice and put it in a pot. Add a pinch of salt, a bit of stock or lemon juice if desired, and heat until it's hot. So easy!!

To plate:

Put some cauliflower rice on the plate. In the photo I left the pork in the chunk that it came as from the meat counter, but in retrospect I think it would have been better shredded. Do what floats your boat! Pour a nice big ladle of the braising liquid over the meat and rice, and then place a nice dollop of guacamole on top. And there you have it!