Slow Cooker Pork Vindaloo

I recently returned from a 17-day cruise and a lot of people have been asking me about the food and meals served on the ship… “ Isn’t everything covered with fat-laden sauces?  Were you able to eat gluten-free?  How did you manage to resist all the desserts? “

I admit to submitting to a few temptations but all in all, it was very easy to maintain a healthy diet while on board… there was an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables. Lean meats, eggs, and fish were available all the time. The chefs were more than willing to cook according to your liking.  And yes, there were plenty of decadent desserts, too.  But every day there was one sugar-free dessert and one gluten-free dessert so that certainly made things a bit easier.  The pavlova was fabulous!

My favorite thing about the ship’s cuisine, though, was the enormous variety of ethnic dishes.  Because passengers hail from all over the world, the chefs go all out to please everyone and make it easy to find your favorite dishes at each meal. For example, at the breakfast buffet, along with all the different things we Westerners would expect, there were a couple of different hot soups, warm and cold stewed fruits, and cold smoked fish with assorted condiments.  It was wonderful to be able to try some things that we never would have at home.

And dinner was even more fun. I learned to really look forward to the Indian dishes on the evening menu.  One that I came to particularly enjoy was Pork Vindaloo.  I had it a couple of different times and really loved it… so when I got home I started looking for recipes.  I couldn’t find any that I really liked so I ended up making up my own and it turned out pretty well.

I chose to do it in the slow cooker so that it could simmer away while I was at work, and when I came home, the kitchen smelled absolutely wonderful!  I could barely wait to dig in.  That first night we had this served over rice… and I froze the remaining 6 portions.  The second time we had it, I served it with red potatoes and vegetables. Wonderful!  Do give it a try.  It would be really good with quinoa or farro too.

I know I will be making this often… and I think that I will try using crushed tomatoes the next time, instead of diced. It will be a bit thicker I think.  I also think that a spoonful of plain yogurt alongside would be really nice.  If you like this dish I hope you will consider trying my version.  It’s easy and all comes together quite easily.


And just a hint…I like to spray the inside of my slow cooker with a non-stick spray for easy cleanup.

Pork Vindaloo
Makes 8 servings

• 1-1/2 Tbs fresh ginger root, peeled, and grated 
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 boneless pork loin roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, approximately 32 ounces
• 2 cups chopped white onion
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed, and minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes, 28 ounces

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add the pork and toss well to coat the pieces with the spice mixture.
3. Place a large non-stick skillet on the stove over MEDIUM heat.
4. Add the pork to the pan.
5. Cook 5 minutes or until pork is lightly browned on all sides.  Stir occasionally.
6. Place the pork in a slow cooker that has been coated with non-stick spray.
7. Add onion and garlic to pan.
8. Saute about 5 minutes or until onion is softened.
9. Scrape pan to loosen browned bits and then add with onion and garlic to the slow cooker.
10. Add tomatoes to the slow cooker and spread over the onions, garlic, and pork..
11. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours or until pork is tender.
12. Remove from slow cooker and divided into 8 servings.
13. Serve with rice or potatoes and veggies.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 5.
Calories 213;  Protein 26g; Carbohydrate 9g; Fat 7g; Fibre 2g.

Printable Recipe

Are you a fan of Pork Vindaloo?  What is your favorite Indian dish?

Cranberry Pulled Pork in the Crockpot

When the outside temperatures get nippy, I love to get out my crockpot. I am not sure why I equate slow cooking with cooler weather, but I sure do.  I not only used it one day this last week to prepare this Cranberry Pulled Pork, but also the next… to cook up a turkey carcass that was in the freezer for Homemade Turkey Broth to make soups and sauces over the next few weeks.  I should actually have made that broth first, then I could have used it in this recipe!

I have always loved pork with fruit… apples, peaches, and yes, cranberries.  The flavors just go so well together.  This Pork Medallions with Apples and Cranberries is an old favorite. 

This time I decided to leave out the apples and just go with cranberries.  It is lovely and the balsamic vinegar gives just enough sweetness to the dish.  I was tempted to add garlic, but am glad I didn’t.

I used a lean pork loin roast that weighed just over 2 pounds. If you find a nice tenderloin, just reduce the amount of the other ingredients. It’s not rocket science, and you can’t really go wrong here.

I like to make a dish like this and then freeze it in individual or family-size portions so that I can put dinner together quickly on days I am working, or when I just don’t really feel like cooking much.  If you like, add some potatoes or rice, or just a vegetable or a salad, and you have a hearty and delicious meal.

Cranberry Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot
Makes 14 four-ounce servings

• 2-lb pork loin roast, trimmed of all fat
• 1 cup onion slices
• 1 cup chicken or turkey broth
• 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/4 cup dark balsamic vinegar
• 2 or 3 tsp dried oregano

1. Lightly coat the inside of your crockpot with a non-stick spray or oil spray to make cleaning up easier.
2. Brown all the outer edges of the pork roast in a saute pan over MEDIUM-HIGH heat for a few seconds. This is to seal in the juices so don’t skip doing this step.
3. Spread the onion slices over the bottom of the crock pot, followed by the cranberries.
4. Place the browned pork roast on top. and then sprinkle with the dried oregano.
5. Pour the broth over the top of the roast, followed by the balsamic vinegar.
6. Cover and let simmer on LOW for up to 8 hours.
7. Remove the lid, and turn the heat OFF.
8. With 2 forks, slowly pull the roast apart, mixing in the broth and the cranberries as you do.
9. Measure out 4 ounces of the mixture for each serving.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 121; Protein 16g; Carbohydrate 4g; Fat 4g; Fibre 1g.

Printable Recipe

What’s your favorite crockpot meal?

Souvlaki Style Pork with Vegetables and Sauce

This dish was inspired by something I found in a magazine a few weeks ago.  It is kind of an easy version of one of my favorite Greek dishes, Pork Souvlaki.  But here there is no messing with the barbecue or kebabs… it’s just a lean pork loin roast (or a tenderloin if you prefer) and some veggies.

It is a simple matter of browning the pork roast in a pan with some olive oil, and then baking it in the oven while the veggies are cooking in the same pan you used to brown the roast.  It all comes together pretty quickly and it is quite delectable.

I used a mixture of white and sweet potatoes. I would have used all sweet for me, but The Captain prefers white.  And the sauce is very garlicky… just the way we both like it!

This meal fed the 2 of us on three different occasions so I only made up two servings of the sauce each time... one for each of us.  I prepared it first and let the garlic work its magic in the yogurt while I prepared the main dish. Of course you will omit the sauce if you follow a Paleo diet.

Souvlaki Style Pork with Vegetables
Makes 6 servings

• 1-1/2 lb lean pork loin or tenderloin
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch chunks (about 2 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced vertically (about 3/4 cup)
• 8 ounces sweet potato, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 8 ounces white or yellow potato, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 dried oregano

1. Trim any fat from the pork roast and then rub about 1 tsp of dried oregano all over the surface.
2. Place 1 tsp of olive oil into a large non-stick pan set it over MEDIUM heat. 
3. Set your oven to 425°F to preheat.
4. Put the roast in the warm pan and cook it a couple of minutes on each side until browned.
5. Place the roast on a baking sheet and bake in hot oven about 20 to 25 minutes.
6. When the roast is cooked through, remove to cutting board and allow to rest for a few minutes until slicing into 18 slices.
7. Meanwhile, add the other 1 tsp of olive oil to the same non-stick pan and add the potatoes, onion, and garlic, and cook about 6 minutes till the potatoes begin to soften and the onions are lightly browned.
8. Add the chicken broth and water, and bring to a boil.
9. Reduce the heat and simmer till the potatoes are almost cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
10. Add the remaining vegetables and 1 tsp of oregano.  Cook about 5 minutes until the zucchini and the pepper are tender.
11. Remove from heat and serve with Souvlaki Sauce on the top. Garnish with more oregano if desired.

Souvlaki Sauce
For each serving

• 2 Tbs fat free plain Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, peeled, smashed, and minced

1. Mix together and refrigerate while preparing the roast and vegetables.

If you happen to be following the Weight Watchers new Simple Start program, or the Simply Filling Technique, there is no counting to be done here… these are all Power Foods. But I did calculate the N.I. for those of you who count Points Plus Values.

Per serving, without Souvlaki Sauce
Weight Watchers P+ = 7.
Calories 266; Protein 27g; Carbohydrate 21g; Fat 8g; Fibre 3g.

Per serving, with Souvlaki Sauce
Weight Watchers P+ = 7.
Calories 287; Protein 30g; Carbohydrate 23g; Fat 8g; Fibre 3g.

Printable Recipe

Are you a Greek food fan?  What is your favorite dish?

Juicy Caribbean Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot

I like to have a few meals in the freezer to have on days when I work a couple of shifts or when we have had a very busy afternoon and I don’t really feel like spending a lot of effort in making dinner. I find the easiest way to do that is to make a pulled pork dish in the crock pot, and then divvy it up into individual servings to freeze.

When I want to serve it I usually just pop it into a small saucepan, still frozen, and cover with a lid... heat on MEDIUM, stirring occasionally till it is heated through.  Then serve it with whatever side dishes you like... cooked leftover veggies, rice, or even on toast.

There are so many different spices and herbs that can be used with the pork.  I have made it with tomato sauce in BBQ style, with apples and raisins, with chili peppers and vegetables, and with balsamic vinegar and onions.   This time around I used canned Mandarin oranges and garlic, and call it Caribbean Pulled Pork.  Lovely.

That first evening I served it with avocado on Romaine lettuce leaves that we could wrap and eat with our fingers, alongside some creamy coleslaw.  Since then I have enjoyed the leftovers with Cauliflower Rice, over cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, and with carrots and pea; The Captain likes it served over a toasted and split roll, like Sloppy Joes, or over rice.  Your choice. It’s all good.

I will give you the N.I. for the ingredients I used, but if that is not important to you, don’t fuss over it. Just put your pork in the slow cooker with the oranges and garlic, and cook. Then shred with 2 forks after it is done.  Easy, and delicious!  And if you are eating strictly Paleo, then use fresh oranges instead of the canned.

Juicy Caribbean Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot
Makes 35 servings of 2 ounces (after cooking weight) each

• 4-3/4 lb. lean pork loin roast, all fat trimmed off 
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 Tbs cumin
• 1 cup canned Mandarin oranges with juice
• Dashes of salt and pepper

1. Lightly coat the interior of the slow cooker with a non-stick spray for easy cleanup.
2. Pierce the outside of the pork roast with a knife in 8 different places around the outside, making a half inch gash each time.
3. Push a piece of garlic into each gash.
4. Lightly coat a large non-stick skillet over MEDIUM heat and put the pork roast in the pan.
5. Turning frequently, cook the pork roast just a couple of minutes till all outside edges are browned.
6. Place the pork roast in the bottom of the crock pot and sprinkle the cumin over it.
7. Puree the Mandarin oranges in your blender or with an immersion blender and pour over the pork and garlic.
8. Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
9. After cooking remove all but 1 cup of the liquid.
10. Shred the pork by pulling it apart with 2 forks, and incorporate the remaining liquid as you do so. Add back liquid as desired to make it the consistency you like.  I ended up adding back most of the liquid.
11. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

Per 2 ounce serving. (You may want 1-1/2 to 2 servings at a sitting.)
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 92; Protein 13g; Carbohydrate 1g; Fat 3g; Fibre 0g.

The sides of the slow cooker get pretty messy during cooking so that light coating of non-stick spray really makes a difference in the clean up process.

Messy but fun and informal lettuce wraps… the avocado is a nice garnish.

Printable Recipe

Pork and Zucchini Meatballs in Lettuce Cups

I was really excited to try this recipe when I found it in Chatelaine Magazine a  short time ago… we love all of the ingredients in this recipe so I was pretty sure we would love the final result… and we did.  I made a couple of minor changes so will list the ingredients I used, and the N.I. that I calculated, too.

Pork and Zucchini Meatballs in Lettuce Cups is an easy weeknight dinner. It all comes together very quickly and the biggest decision will be what to serve with it. I made up some fried rice for The Captain and he was really happy with the result!

Look for the leanest pork you can find.  And if you can, look for some Bibb lettuce. The cups will be smaller. I had Romaine on hand so used that. I also used a sweet chili sauce and fat free Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise… if I had homemade mayo on had, I would have preferred that.

We ate only half of the meatballs and I saved the others for lunch later this week.

Pork and Zucchini Meatballs in Lettuce Cups
Makes 4 servings (4 meatballs each)

• 1 pound ground pork
• 3/4 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 tsp Chinese 5 Spice powder
• dash of salt
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 8 lettuce leaves
• 2 Tbs mayonnaise
• 2 Tbs sweet chili sauce
• 1/4 cup shredded carrot
• 2 Tbs mirin or sushi seasoning or rice vinegar 

1. Mix the ground pork, shredded zucchini, Chinese 5 Spice powder and dash of salt together in a bowl.
2. Place the coconut oil in a large skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat.
3. Scoop the meat mixture out in 2-Tbs size meatballs and set them in a single layer in the skillet.  You should have 16 meatballs.
4. Brown the meatballs on all sides then cover and reduce heat to LOW.  Leave to cook about 7 or 8 minutes till juices run clear.
5. Arrange 2 lettuce cups on each of 4 plates.
6. Combine the mayonnaise and chili sauce in a small bowl.
7. Combine the shredded carrot and mirin in another small bowl.
8. When the meatballs are cooked, place 2 in each lettuce cup and top with chili-mayo and carrots to serve. 

Per serving of 4 meatballs in lettuce cups with sauces.
Weight Watchers P+ = 9.
Calories 347; Protein 20g; Carbohydrate 7g; Fat 26g; Fibre 2g.

Printable Recipe

I was pleasantly surprised that  The Captain was game to pick up the cups and eat them with his fingers… but a knife and fork is certainly not out of the question… they are messy but delicious!

What do you think?  Is this something you might try?

Red Curry Crock Pot Pork

I love to use my crock pot.  And I do, very often.  Several times a month probably.

One of the things I really like about it is that I can make up a large batch of something and then divide it into individual portions and put them in the freezer… especially nice for dinners on days I am working or not feeling particularly inspired to cook! 

This particular recipe was given to me by one of my Weight Watchers buddies and she said it came from the Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook.

I was a bit hesitant when I read the ingredient list. I have never ever thought to buy or use fish sauce and have always shied away from recipes that call for it.  I like fish, but I don’t like fish soups or stews and I guess I think of those things when I hear about fish sauce.  I have no experience whatsoever with Thai food.

But I polled some friends on Facebook and they told me that fish sauce is not fishy tasting but very salty, and that it offers a unique flavor… andsome advised me not to smell it!  Okay, then…. I am game.  I do love a good curry.

So when I went shopping for fish sauce, I really didn’t even know what I was looking for.  I did think it would be with the other Asian-inspired ingredients but I had to read practically every label on every bottle on the shelves before I found it. I thought it would be in a little glass bottle that looked more like hot sauce.

And I have to say, I was quite surprised at the size of the bottle I found… much larger than I thought it would be… and the price… much less than I thought it would be.  That was a good surprise!  This 700 ml (almost 3 cups) bottle was only $1.77 in price.

I made a couple of changes to the dish based on ingredients I happened to have on hand. I used light coconut milk, instead of the full fat version the original recipe calls for.  I couldn’t see where it would make much difference here… and I also used a green pepper instead of red or orange or yellow.  The green pepper turned out to be kind of bitter… and I won’t chance that the next time I make it. And I would also add several  more carrots to the pot as well.

But wait… did I say next time?  I did.   All day longThe Captain kept telling me how good it smelled to him while it was cooking… while all I could think about was that fish sauce, worrying about how it was really going to taste. 

When he served it up, I tasted a piece of the pork right away, and realized that I did like this dish… very much in fact, and went back for a spoonful of the creamy coconut sauce.  It is a very mild curry, and not too salty at all and certainly not fishy!

So I will share the recipe as I made it… and the Nutritional Information is mine too.  I divided it into 6 good sized servings.   I took my pictures before remembering to go out and cut some fresh cilantro for garnish.

Red Curry Slow Cooker Pork
Makes 6 servings

• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 2 pounds pork loin cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
• 1 can light coconut milk, well shaken
• 2 rounded Tbs red curry paste
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tbs fish sauce
• 2 carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 medium to large bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced vertically
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Place coconut oil in large skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat.
2. While oil is heating, toss the pork in the Chinese 5 spice and stir to coat the pieces evenly.
3. Add  the pork to the coconut oil and saute for a few minutes till slightly browned.
4. Remove the pork from pan and place in slow cooker.
5. Add coconut milk to the skillet the pork was cooking in and whisk to scrape up any bits of pork left behind.
6. Add broth, curry paste and fish sauce to the milk, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for a few minutes.
7. Pour milk mixture over pork in the slow cooker.
8. Add the vegetables to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
   Serve garnished with fresh cilantro.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 7.
Calories 279; Protein 34g; Carbohydrate 7g; Fat 12g; Fibre 2g.

I served The Captain’s over white rice. I think barely or farro would be good too.

I had mine over spaghetti squash.  Next time I may have it with cauliflower rice, or even sweet potato or kabocha squash.

Are you a slow cooker fan?

Do you ‘batch’ cook so you have meals made ahead of time.

What about Thai food… yes or no?

Balsamic Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker

Pulled Pork is one of our favorite entrees.  I make it in big batches in the slow cooker and then freeze it in individual servings.  It is so handy…. and really quite versatile.

I like mine with with sweet potatoes, or cauliflower rice… and a variety of squashes… spaghetti, kabocha, and acorn.   And roasted veggies are great too.

And I also like to scoop it into cauliflower tortillas.  A nice accompaniment is a few slices of apple that has been sauteed in butter or coconut oil, and sprinkled with cinnamon.

The Captain likes his with white potatoes or some kind of pasta.  He also loves it spooned over a warm crusty roll of some kind, or even just toast.

And I am always trying to come up with a variety of seasonings and spices to change it up so that we are not eating the same meal over and over.   I have used apples, onions, garlic, thyme, cumin, and raisins… and I have also done a BBQ version with tomatoes.

My most recent and simplest creation, which we both really love, is done with dark balsamic vinegar, garlic, and onions.   I have made it with these ingredients in the past, but it required a second step to make a separate sauce to serve with it.  Not this time.

I made a double batch and we are thoroughly enjoying it.  Hope you like it too.  If you prefer a more vinegary flavor, add a spoonful or two more.  You can even drizzle some over the pork as you serve it if you like.

Balsamic Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker
Makes 10 servings

• 1 pork loin, about 2.5 pounds
• 1 medium onion, cut vertically, about 1 cup
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1/4 cup dark balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup water 
• Dashes of salt and pepper

1. Coat the bottom of your crock pot with a light spritz of a non-stick spray for easy clean up.
2. Place half the onions,and garlic on the bottom of the pot.
3. Set the pork loin on top and then sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
4. Cover the pork with the rest of the onions, and garlic.
5. Mix the water and vinegar together and then drizzle over the pork loins.
6. Put lid on the crock pot and cook on LOW for 6 or 7 hours.
7. Stir everything together pulling apart the pork roast as you do so.
8. Serve warm.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 168; Protein 25g; Carbohydrate 2g; Fat 6g; Fibre 0g.

After pulling and shreddin, still in the slow cooker.

Printable Recipe

Homemade Pork Breakfast Sausages

This is one of those little, simple, food ideas that I just get so excited about sometimes!  I have never been a fan of pork sausages…. you know those little ones, about 3 or 4 inches long and about 3/4 inch wide?  I am not sure if it is because I don’t care for the spices in them or if they are just too greasy… even when very well done – even crunchy.

But The Captain does love pork sausages and I feel a little bad sometimes not buying them for him so last night I decided that I would try making my own for breakfast today. 

I took a package of ground pork from the freezer and left it in the fridge overnight to thaw and when I weighed it was 545 grams -  19.2  ounces so I decided I would make 5 round patties from it…. each one weighing 109 g or about 3.8 ounces.
 
I gave some thought to my choice of seasonings… selecting a few things that I knew from experience would enhance the pork… I opted for paprika, sage, salt, black pepper, and garlic, of course!

I simply put all the ingredients together in a bowl, and mixed them well with my hands and formed my patties… cooked them in a non-stick pan with no added oils and they were ready in about 15 minutes.

They smelled so good while cooking… garlic don’t ya know!  and they were delicious.

No artificial colorings or preservatives; no grains or other binders.  Just ground meat, garlic and spices.
 
Now I know the nutritional information is going to make my Weight Watchers buddies gasp a bit…. but if you like you could eat just half of one, or even make them smaller to begin with. 

I really just want to share the idea, and the ingredients and method with you. You can easily adjust the seasonings and servings to the amount of meat you have. Maybe next time I will make them smaller and shape them like traditional sausage links... but this is how I made them up this morning.

Pork Breakfast Sausages
Makes 5 servings of 1 sausage

• 545 g ground pork
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 3/4 tsp ground sage
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix all the ingredients together with you your hands in a large bowl.
2. Shape into 5 patties and place in a non-stick skillet over MEDIUM heat.
3. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes then flip and cook another 5 minutes, till cooked through.
4. Remove from heat and serve.

Per serving of 1 patty.
Weight Watchers P+ = 10.
Calories 314; Protein 19g; Carbohydrate 2g; Fat 31g; Fibre 0g.

All ingredients in bowl, ready to mix with freshly washed hands!

Place in pan over MEDIUM heat to cook.

You can see the fat in the pan that comes from the ground pork so there is not need to add oil to the pan for cooking.

They will be nicely browned when done.

The Captain had his with rye toast, an egg, and some grapefruit.

No toast for me!

I put my egg on top of the sausage instead of toast.

Printable Recipe

Sweet and Savory Crock Pot Pulled Pork

We found some really nice lean pork loins on sale recently so we bought one that was about 9 pounds in weight.  I had The Captain cut it into 4 equal size pieces and then I put them in the freezer so I could cook them up individually.  We like lean pork ... there are so many ways it can be prepared. 

I have been craving roasted veggies lately so I thawed one of the pork roasts and cooked part of it in the crock pot to go along with them… it was so simple… just added a few onions, some garlic, a couple of apples and lots of spices and let it all cook for several hours.
The apples and the onions made a nice juice and the pork just fell apart when we took it out of the crock… very similar to pulled pork actually.

I added a handful of raisins to it and then served it with the roasted vegetables. Lovely.  Tender. Juicy.  Delicious.

I have made this a couple of times lately and the leftovers freeze nicely and can be easily reheated in the mike when you want to a quick and delicious meal.  So versatile, too... can be served with so many different vegetables, or even on a roll 'sloppy joe' style.

If you like, you could probably use pork chops in this recipe. I think after they are cooked that they would pull apart quite nicely, too.




Crock Pot Pulled Pork with Apples and Onions
Makes 4 servings

• 1 pork loin, about 1 pound
• 1 medium onion, cut vertically, about 1 cup
• 2 medium apples, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/4 cup raisins
• Dashes of salt and pepper

1. Coat the bottom of your crock pot with a light spritz of a non-stick spray for easy clean up.
2. Place half the onions, apples and garlic on the bottom of the pot.
3. Set the pork loin on top and then sprinkle it with the herbs and spices.
4. Cover the pork with the rest of the onions, apples and garlic.
5. Put lid on the crock pot and cook on LOW for 6 or 7 hours.
6. Turn off the heat and add 1/4 cup of raisins to the crockpot.
7. Stir everything together pulling apart the pork roast as you do so.
8. Serve 1/4 of the mixture per person, with your choice of vegetables or over cooked squash halves or baked sweet potatoes.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 5.
Calories 254; Protein 26g; Carbohydrate 23g; Fat 7g; Fibre 3g.

Pile everything in the crock pot and cook for several hours.

 

 

When it’s cooked and still steaming, shred the pork with 2 forks.

 

 

Served with a variety of veggies…

 

 

So tender and juicy and the raisins offer just a bit of a sweet taste.

 

 

The Captain had his served over a baked white potato.

 

 

I also like it heaped into a roasted squash ‘bowl’.

 

 

Printable Recipe

 

Do you like to use your crock pot for quick and easy meals?

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

Using my crock pot makes dinner so easy!  I can layer my ingredients in the crock pot, set it to LOW and leave it simmer all day... and the aroma coming from the kitchen teases me all day long with the promise of the wonderful evening meal to come.

This pulled pork smells just wonderful while it cooks... and the taste of the finished dish is not a bit of a disappointment.  The meat is so tender and really just falls apart when it comes out of the crock pot.

If you don't have crushed tomatoes on hand, use diced or whole, and just whizz them in your blender till pureed.  The result will be very similar to crushed tomatoes right from the can.



Crock Pot Pulled Pork
Makes 4 servings.

• 1 small pork loin roast, about 16 to 18 ounces
• 1/2 large white onion, vertically sliced in thin strips
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbs white vinegar
• 2 Tbs brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
• few red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Coat the inside of your crock pot with a spritz of non-stick spray for easy cleanup.
2. Spread the onion slices over the bottom of the crock pot and then place the roast on top in the centre.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the tomatoes, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, garlic and seasonings.  Pour  the mixture over the onions and pork in the crock pot. making sure onions are covered.
4. Set the crock pot to LOW and leave for 6 to 8 hours till pork is cooked.
5. Turn off heat.
6. With 2 forks, pull the roast apart and shred the meat, mixing it with the sauce.
7. Add more salt and pepper to taste, and serve over warmed rolls, rice, noodles, baked potatoes, spaghetti squash or grains of your choice.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 6.
Calories 234; Protein 28g; Carbohydrate 13g; Fat 7g; Fibre 1g.

Cut the onion in half vertically and then slice in 1/4 inch lengths. Pkace in the bottom of the crock pot and place the pork roast on top of them.

 

Mix the sauce ingredients together and then pour over the onions and pork in the crock pot, making sure onions are coated with sauce.

 

The Captain had his on toasted whole wheat rolls.

 

I had mine on a bed of cooked spaghetti squash.

 

We both enjoyed the leftovers on top of baked potatoes.



Printable Recipe

Are you a crockpot fan?  What is your favorite way to use it?

Christie O's Crock Pot Balsamic Pork with Onions

I am so excited to share this delicious meal with you! 

It is called Crock Pot Balsamic Pork with Onions and I found it on a blog that I love and read regularly called Average Moms Wear Capes.  In just a few words, Christie is an energetic and enthusiastic Florida Gal who wears a variety of caps (and capes) with the labels Mom, Runner, and Writer, to name only a couple.  I always look forward to getting her blog posts in my inbox.

This dish is just too good not to pass along... and it all comes together so easily that you will want to make it again and again.   It is the season for crock pots, so get yours out, wipe off the dust and get cooking!

Start with a pork roast, some onions, dark balsamic vinegar, water, salt and pepper... layer them in the crock pot....



Cook it all up for a few hours... then thicken and sweeten the sauce and serve.  It's just that easy!

 

The Captain loves potatoes so I spooned some of the sauce over them like gravy.  Delicious.

 

 

 

And I had mine with some kabocha squash.

 

The pork is so succulent and so tender after cooking in the crock pot all day, and it just falls apart when removed.    We had the leftovers the next night with some rice and veggies.  Next time I will make a larger batch and freeze the leftovers... there are pork loins on sale at one of my local markets this week and I am on my way to get some.

 

Please check out the recipe and instructions as Christie wrote them  and when you comment there, please tell her I sent you... and then go plug in your crock pot!

 

And for my Weight Watchers friends... I didn't calculate the N.I. of this dish.  The numbers are going to depend on the kind of pork roast you use, and the number of servings  you get out of the recipe.  My pork roast was only very lean and about 1 pound so I halved the ingredients and it made 4 ample servings.  I would think you should get at least 8 servings out of the ingredients Christie describes... and the P+ value would be approximately 7 or 8 for the pork, onions, and sauce.  Very reasonable.

 

Are you a crock pot fan? 

 

Do you say 'slow cooker' or 'crock pot'?