CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Our old friend pork tenderloin, the extremely tender and lean "other white meat," plays a starring role in today's barbecuelike recipe.
You can enjoy a serving of the shredded pork in many ways. Try it alone or over half a plain baked potato as a slightly spicy entrée (I think coleslaw and a wedge of corn bread should be somewhere on the plate); on multigrain or whole-wheat buns, a la a barbecue sandwich; in a taco shell; and over a package of 100-calorie Doritos or Sun Chips with a little shredded melted cheese on top for a green nacho treat.
Another choice is to place meat, cheese and tomatoes on a multigrain-with-flaxseed flatbread (I use it instead of whole-wheat tortillas because of better numbers), fold over and grill for pork verde quesadillas, or skip the grilling and roll it up for a wrap.
No one would complain if you made oven fries to go with your pork (a couple white or sweet potatoes, julienned and tossed in a half-tablespoon of oil and baked at 400 degrees until browned and tender).
If you can't find McCormick's Pork Rub on your grocery spice/herb shelf, sprinkle the pork to your taste with a combination of salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, Mexican oregano and any other desired herbs and spices to achieve a Mexican influence.
McCormick used to make bottled Mexican Seasoning, but that was discontinued. However, Healthy Life Market at Drug Emporium stocks a Frontier all-natural Mexican Fiesta dried seasoning that is an excellent replacement.
Packaged seasonings for fajita, taco and chili as well as Mexene are also good choices as a rub, but reach for the reduced-sodium packet.
Pulled Pork Verde
Makes 8 servings.
2 pounds pork tenderloin (may be two 1-pound sections)
McCormick Pork Rub
Ground cumin
1 16-ounce jar salsa verde (suggested LaVictoria or Pace brand)
REMOVE and discard silver membrane and excess fat from tenderloin.
SPRINKLE to taste on all sides with pork rub and cumin, patting to adhere.
SPRAY slow-cooker crock with cooking spray; place tenderloin in slow cooker; cover with salsa verde; cook, covered, on low 6 hours.
SHRED pork into sauce/liquid with forks and serve.
Nutrition information: Per 1/8 recipe: 160 calories, 35 calories from fat, 4 grams fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 75 milligrams cholesterol, 240 milligrams sodium, 4 grams carbohydrates, zero grams fiber, 24 grams protein.
Bake-off winner
The $1 million Pillsbury Bake-Off winner, announced April 14, was Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups.
It's a bite-size dessert, which, with a minor tweak, can be a healthy sweet treat.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Our old friend pork tenderloin, the extremely tender and lean "other white meat," plays a starring role in today's barbecuelike recipe.
You can enjoy a serving of the shredded pork in many ways. Try it alone or over half a plain baked potato as a slightly spicy entrée (I think coleslaw and a wedge of corn bread should be somewhere on the plate); on multigrain or whole-wheat buns, a la a barbecue sandwich; in a taco shell; and over a package of 100-calorie Doritos or Sun Chips with a little shredded melted cheese on top for a green nacho treat.
Another choice is to place meat, cheese and tomatoes on a multigrain-with-flaxseed flatbread (I use it instead of whole-wheat tortillas because of better numbers), fold over and grill for pork verde quesadillas, or skip the grilling and roll it up for a wrap.
No one would complain if you made oven fries to go with your pork (a couple white or sweet potatoes, julienned and tossed in a half-tablespoon of oil and baked at 400 degrees until browned and tender).
If you can't find McCormick's Pork Rub on your grocery spice/herb shelf, sprinkle the pork to your taste with a combination of salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, Mexican oregano and any other desired herbs and spices to achieve a Mexican influence.
McCormick used to make bottled Mexican Seasoning, but that was discontinued. However, Healthy Life Market at Drug Emporium stocks a Frontier all-natural Mexican Fiesta dried seasoning that is an excellent replacement.
Packaged seasonings for fajita, taco and chili as well as Mexene are also good choices as a rub, but reach for the reduced-sodium packet.
Pulled Pork Verde
Makes 8 servings.
2 pounds pork tenderloin (may be two 1-pound sections)
McCormick Pork Rub
Ground cumin
1 16-ounce jar salsa verde (suggested LaVictoria or Pace brand)
REMOVE and discard silver membrane and excess fat from tenderloin.
SPRINKLE to taste on all sides with pork rub and cumin, patting to adhere.
SPRAY slow-cooker crock with cooking spray; place tenderloin in slow cooker; cover with salsa verde; cook, covered, on low 6 hours.
SHRED pork into sauce/liquid with forks and serve.
Nutrition information: Per 1/8 recipe: 160 calories, 35 calories from fat, 4 grams fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 75 milligrams cholesterol, 240 milligrams sodium, 4 grams carbohydrates, zero grams fiber, 24 grams protein.
Bake-off winner
The $1 million Pillsbury Bake-Off winner, announced April 14, was Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups.
It's a bite-size dessert, which, with a minor tweak, can be a healthy sweet treat.
However, without any changes, the original recipe below isn't bad in nutrition numbers, given that we are discussing dessert. It's basically one cookie and one tablespoon of ice cream with minimal additional trims, and you can see in the nutrition information that it can be worked into a meal plan, as long as you keep portion size in mind.
A slight tweaking of the recipe can be accomplished without altering the flavor and nature of the dessert. Omit the sugared spoon handle and sugar mixed into the walnuts (or use Splenda), opt for Hershey's dark chocolate chips instead of semisweet; use raspberry all fruit spread or jam sweetened with Splenda and select vanilla sugar-free ice cream or frozen yogurt.
I wouldn't garnish with the raspberry on top before freezing, as recipe directs, but instead add it just before serving so it wouldn't be frozen or partially thawed. I guess the cook's goal was to have the recipe a make-ahead, so the raspberry had to be in place with the cups ready to go from the freezer.
Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups
Makes 24.
1 16-ounce package Pillsbury Ready to Bake refrigerated sugar cookies
4 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup seedless red raspberry jam
1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
24 fresh raspberries
SPRAY 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray; place 1 cookie dough round in each muffin cup; bake 15 to 20 minutes at 350° until golden brown.
PLACE 2 teaspoons sugar in small bowl; dip end of wooden spoon handle in sugar; carefully press into center of each cookie to make 1-inch wide indentation; cool completely in pan, about 20 minutes.
MIX walnuts and remaining sugar; set aside; microwave chocolate chips on high uncovered 30 to 60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds until smooth.
RUN knife around cookie cups edges to loosen; gently remove from pan and dip rim of each cup into melted chocolate, then into walnut mixture; place on cookie sheet with sides.
MICROWAVE jam uncovered on high about 15 seconds to melt; spoon 1/2 teaspoon jam into each cup; freeze cups to set chocolate.
SPOON ice cream into cups using small cookie scoop or measuring tablespoon; top each cup with fresh raspberry; store in freezer.
LET stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information: Per tartlet: 150 calories, 70 calories from fat, 7 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, zero milligrams cholesterol, 60 milligrams sodium, 19 grams carbohydrates, zero grams fiber, 12 grams sugars, 1 gram protein.
Reach Judy Grigoraci at ...@suddenlink.net.
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