Pork Picante

Real prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Side dish suggestions: steamed carrots with butter and cinnamon

Supplies:

• Medium skillet
• Medium pot

From the freezer:

• 1# pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes

From the pantry:

• 2 c instant rice
• 1 c medium salsa
• 1/3 c peach or apricot preserves
• 1 c petite diced tomatoes
• 1 tbl cornstarch
• cooking oil

Preparation:

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Stir fry until no longer pink on outside (5-8 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, whisk together salsa, preserves, and diced tomatoes. Stir in cornstarch.
4. Add salsa mixture to pan and cook until bubbly and slightly thickened.

Sauce will be soupy. Serve over rice.

Mango Wraps

Real prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Side dish suggestions: black beans with lime, garlic, and cilantro

Supplies:

• Medium skillet

From the freezer:

• 1# london broil, chicken breast, or pork loin, sliced

From the pantry:

• 4 whole wheat tortillas
• cooking oil

Fresh:

• 4 oz spinach leaves, washed and dry
• 1 mango, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/4 c sour cream
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp lime juice
• Optional: shredded carrot

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook meat until no longer pink (8-10 minutes). Set aside on a paper towel on a plate.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together sour cream, cumin, and lime. Add mango and bell pepper and toss to coat (also add carrot; optional)
3. On tortillas, layer spinach leaves and mango/pepper mixture. Top with meat. Roll and slice diagonally.
4. Serve warm or refrigerate and eat cold.

Approx calories: 350 for one wrap as shown (london broil, no carrot)

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

Real prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes plus 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Side dish suggestions: blueberry muffins, mixed greens salad

Supplies:

• Small pot or rice cooker
• Large pot

From the pantry:

• 1/3 c flour
• 1/4 c chopped pecans
• 1/2 c wild rice
• 4 c (2 cans or 1 box) chicken broth

Fresh:

• 1/2 c diced cooked ham
• 1/4 c shredded carrot
• 1/4 c butter
• 3 tbl green onions, chopped
• 1 c half-and-half

Preparation:

1. Cook wild rice according to package directions (45-55 minutes).
2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrots, pecans, and green onions. Saute' for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in flour until blended.
4. Add chicken broth, rice, and ham. Bring to boil.
5. Stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
6. Stir in half-and-half. Remove from heat. Serve hot.

Approx. calories: 475 per serving (but sooo worth it!)

Homestyle Pork Chops

Real time prep: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves 4
Side dish suggestions: applesauce, of course!

Supplies:

• 13x9 baking dish

From the freezer:

• 4 pork chops, bone in
• 2 c cut green beans

From the pantry:

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• cooking spray
• salt and pepper

Fresh:

• 4 red potatoes, thinly sliced

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Coat baking dish with nonstick spray. Layer potatoes, green beans, and pork chops. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour cream of mushroom soup over the top.
3. Bake for 45 minutes.

Approx. calories: 500 per serving (one pork chop, 1 c potatoes and green beans)

Apricot Veggie Stir Fry

Real prep time: 20 minutes, including cooking
Serves 4
Side dish suggestions: seasonal fresh fruit, Hawaiian rolls

Supplies:

• Large skillet
• Small saucepan

From the freezer:

• 1# boneless pork loin OR boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small chunks
• 1 10 oz bag stir fry vegetables, frozen

From the fridge:

• 2 tbl soy sauce
• 1/3 c sugar free apricot preserves

From the pantry:

• 1 tbl cornstarch
• 2 c whole grain rice
• 1 tbl cooking oil

Preparation:

1. Cook rice according to directions. (Buy instant if you're aiming for short cook times!)
2. In a small bowl, stir together apricot preserves, soy sauce, cornstarch, and 2 tbl water. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add meat and cook until no pink remains, about 3 minutes.
4. Add vegetables. Stir. Cover for 3 minutes. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes, or until vegetables are hot through.
5. Add apricot mixture to skillet and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring, while sauce thickens. Serve over rice.

Approx. calories: 400 per serving (1/2 c rice with 1 c topping)

Blackened Pork Chops

Real prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
Side dish suggestions: mixed vegetables and red potatoes

Supplies:

• Large skillet

From the freezer:

• 2 boneless pork loin chops, thawed and trimmed of fat

From the pantry:

• 1 tbl cooking oil
• 1 tbl chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Preparation:

1. Mix all spices together. Rub over pork chops.
2. Heat cooking oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Cook pork chops 4-5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Serve.

Approx calories: 210 per pork chop

Chili Pork Chops with Raspberry Sauce

Real prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Side dish suggestions: couscous (buy a box mix), broccoli and cauliflower with Parmesan cheese

Supplies:

• Large skillet

From the freezer:

• 4 boneless pork loin chops, thawed

From the pantry:

• 2 tbl raspberry preserves (use no sugar added if you're counting carbs)
• 1/4 c beef broth
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbl chili powder
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• cooking spray

Preparation:

1. Mix chili powder, salt, thyme, and pepper together in small bowl. Rub all over pork chops.
2. Heat skillet to medium high. Spray with cooking spray and immediately add pork chops.
3. Cook 4 minutes on each side, until no pink remains in the center.
4. While pork chops are cooking, combine beef broth and cornstarch.
5. Remove pork chops from skillet. Turn heat to low. Pour in beef broth mixture and add raspberry preserves. Stir until smooth and thickened, about one minute.
6. Pour raspberry sauce over pork chops and serve.

Approx calories: 180 per serving - 1 pork chop and 2 tbl sauce
If you're making the couscous, start the water boiling before step 1. Add the couscous when you start cooking the pork chops and it will be done by the time they are!

Cheesy Macaroni Bake

Real prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Side dish suggestions: green salad and fruit

Supplies:

• 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish
• Medium pot
• Colander

From the freezer:

• 3/4 c frozen peas

From the pantry:

• 1 c uncooked elbow macaroni
• cooking spray
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 slice bread (or pre-made bread crumbs work too!)

Fresh:

• 1 c chopped ham
• 1 1/2 c milk
• 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 c shredded swiss cheese
• 1 tbl butter, melted

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta for 6 minutes in boiling water. Place ham and peas in colander. Dump pasta over ham and peas to drain. Place pasta, ham, and peas in large bowl and set aside.
2. In microwave safe bowl, add milk. Cook 5 minutes or until boiling. Add cheeses, salt, and pepper. Cook five minutes more or until cheese is creamy.
3. Pour cheese sauce into bowl with pasta mixture. Stir. Spoon into baking dish coated with cooking spray.
4. Use food processor to pulse bread and butter to make bread crumbs (or use pre-made!). Sprinkle over top of pasta dish.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.

Approx. calories: 475 per serving

Caribbean Pork Chops

Real prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2 - easy to double
Side dish suggestions: wild rice, cheesy cauliflower

Supplies:

• Large skillet
• Lemon zester or cheese grater

From the freezer:

• Boneless pork loin chops, 2

From the pantry:

• 3/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 1 tbl canola oil
• 1 tsp mint
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

Fresh:

• 1 mango, peeled and diced
• 1 medium lemon

Prep:
Up to one day in advance

1. Combine chili powder, garlic salt, and allspice. Rub evenly over both sides of pork. Return pork to fridge if not cooking immediately.
2. Grate 1/2 tsp lemon rind into small bowl. Add 1 tbl fresh lemon juice, mango, mint, sugar, and red pepper flakes.

When ready to serve

1. Heat skillet over medium-high. Add canola oil and swirl to spread around in pan. Add pork chops; cook 4-5 minutes on each side or until done.
2. Top with mango salsa to serve.

Approx. calories per serving: 225

Porky Bean Soup

Real prep time: 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the evening
Cook time: 8.5 hours
Serves 8
Side dish suggestions: biscuits, assorted raw veggies and dip

Supplies:

• Slow cooker

From the freezer:

• 2.5 lb boneless pork shoulder, thawed and trimmed of excess fat

From the pantry:

• 2 c dried navy beans
• 2 tsp dried sage, divided
• 2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 8 garlic cloves or 4 tsp minced garlic from the jar
• 4-6 c water, divided

Optional:

• 1/2 c shredded carrot

Prep:

1. The night before you're going to have this for dinner... rinse navy beans and place in a bowl with water 2 inches above the beans. In the morning... drain beans.
2. In the morning... combine 1 tsp sage, 1 tsp salt, and half the garlic. Rub over pork shoulder. Place pork in slow cooker.
3. Pour beans over pork. If using shredded carrot, sprinkle over beans. Mix remaining 1 tsp sage, 1 tsp salt, and half garlic into 4 c water and pour over top.
4. Set slow cooker for 8 hours on high.

When ready to eat:

1. Take lid off slow cooker. Shred pork inside cooker with two forks. Stir in additional water if soup is too thick for your taste. If adding water, turn cooker to low and let cook through, stirring occasionally.

Approx calories: 400 per serving