Healthy Sweet Pork Salad

 

I know, I know, I know!  I have been seriously M.I.A.  But, for good reason.  Well okay, not really that good of a reason- I mean, it's summer after all.  Summer= no school and no school= less stress, right?

I wish! I have been busy with every little "here and there" errand and to-do task that has occupied my planner for months now.  And although it's been great and I have loved the break from school, I'm partially excited for it to start back up.  Just partially. 

 The other half of me is sad that I have no more vacations to go on.  Arkansas, Memphis, California and Mexico were my seasonal rounds of summer lovin' this year!  My new hubby and I took a week-long trip to visit the area where he served his LDS mission a couple of years ago- Little Rock, Arkansas, Memphis, Tennessee, and Southaven, Mississippi. It was AWESOME! I loved meeting all these people that he taught and loved and it was great to see how much they loved him as well.  Aww :) Also, the "Southern" culture is every bit as culturally unique as I imagined! And the southern cooking is downright dangerous!  I'll admit I came home with a couple extra you know what's....

But it's all good now... after a couple other short trips to Carlsbad and Rocky Point, I am beached-out (okay that's a lie, cause you can't really ever get enough of the beautiful Cali and Mexi beaches...).  I am home, and alive, and ready for the new school year, and back to a more regular cooking schedule!

To compensate for the little extra weight I picked up in the South, I have been eating super healthy since I returned.  This recipe I'm about to share is a perfect no-guilt recipe makeover for those super fatty SWEET PORK SALADS at CAFE RIO AND COSTA VIDAS!!!  Seriously, those salads are one of my weaknesses.  SO. GOOD.  This recipe is comprised of 3 recipes... one for the cilantro-lime rice (which, by the way is the best rice I have ever, ever had.  Even when eaten alone.), the sweet pork, and the salad itself.  You need to try it!

Slow Cooked Sweet Barbacoa Pork

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: about 10 • Serving Size: 3 oz • Old Points: 4.5 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 202.5 • Fat: 6.3 g • Protein: 26.2 g • Carb: 11.5 g • Fiber: 0.6 g
Adapted from Favorite Family Recipes

Marinade:

• 2.5 lbs pork loin roast, all fat trimmed
• salt and pepper
• garlic powder
• 6 oz Coke zero
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (unpacked)
• 1/4 cup water

Step 2

• 8 oz Coke zero
• 6 oz can sliced green chilies
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp chipotle chili powder (to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (unpacked)

Season pork with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place in the crock pot. Add 6 oz of coke and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Marinate refrigerated for a few hours or overnight turning meat at least once while marinating.

Remove crock from refrigerator, add water, and cook on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily). Remove pork from crock pot and discard any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork with two forks.

Step two: In the crock pot, combine 8 oz coke, green chilies, tomato sauce, chipotle chile, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder and remaining brown sugar.

Put shredded pork back in the crock pot and combine with sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook on high 1-1/2 hours more.


Cilantro-Lime Rice

• 1 cup long grain white or brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• salt to taste

1. Bring the rice, water, and chicken bouillon to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the lime juice, cilantro, and salt; fluff with a fork and serve.

Nutrition Per Serving:  Calories: 115 | Total Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: < 1mg


Once I had the pork and rice made up, I also made a pico de gallo (you could substitute salsa), and put everything together to create a salad with lettuce, corn, black beans and fat-free sour cream added in addition to the pork and rice!  Delish!