Crock Pot Beer Pulled Pork-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

I've only made pulled pork twice before, and I used the same recipe both times. It was delicious, but I'm always up for trying something new. When I saw this recipe, I decided it would be a good idea to forego the rolls and stuff a sweet potato with the pork instead. When I suggested it to Joel, he thought that was strange, so he ate his as a regular sandwich..on bread, because we didn't go to the store to buy rolls. Of course, when we finished dinner, he commented that the bread was not the right choice and that stuffing the sweet potato wasn't such a bad idea after all! It wasn't; the potato served as the perfect vehicle for the pork, and I didn't even miss the bread!

Because I am the type of person who usually fails to read a recipe all the way through until it's too late, I feel like I have to include this clause in case any of you are the same way. Because of the use of the crock pot, this meal takes a bit of planning ahead. I had it on my menu for about 3 days before I actually made it because I didn't plan for the appropriate time and I didn't feel like eating at 10pm! However, this morning, I was able to prep everything as I was boiling my water for tea, and I had everything ready before I walked out the door for work. Let me tell you, walking into a house filled with the delicious aroma of barbecue is not a bad way to end a long day at work!

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
5 pounds Boneless Pork Loin Roast, trimmed (4 pounds after trimming)
12 ounces Beer
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons Liquid Smoke
2 Shallots, minced
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
4 Sweet Potatoes
3/4 cup BBQ Sauce (I used a local favorite, Dinosaur BBQ…I may have used a bit more!) 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; sear the roast on each side, 2-4 minutes or until slightly golden, then remove to the crock pot. Add the beer, soy sauce, liquid smoke, shallots, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and cumin to the crock pot. Rotate the meat to coat. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 6 hours. (Ours cooked on low for 10 hours and was perfectly tender when I went to pull it.)

Before serving, scrub the sweet potatoes under cold water and pat dry. Wrap each potato in foil and bake at 400 degrees for 60-75 minutes, or until a fork poked into the potato can be easily removed without resistance. Drain all but 1/2-1 cup of liquid from the crock pot. Using 2 forks, shred the meat to desired consistency. Remove all but about 16 ounces of pork from the crock pot, add the BBQ sauce, stir, and cover to warm through for 5-10 minutes. Cut a large slit in the top of each potato and loosen the flesh to create an opening. Add 4 ounces of pulled pork to the top of each potato and serve. Freeze remaining pulled pork for another day!

SOURCE: Prevention RD

Lentil and Zucchini Tacos with Chipotle Cream Sauce

Mexican food is my favorite. Generally, it's cheap, quick, and easy. While it isn't always healthy, it is always delicious. Perhaps this recipe isn't authentic compared to most cheese and sauce drenched recipes, but it's wrapped in a tortilla so to me, that puts these tacos in that category, and it's healthy too! Lentils replace the typical ground meat found in tacos, the wilted arugula offers a peppery bite, zucchini is always delicious, and the chipotle cream sauce gives these tacos the perfect amount of spice. These tacos were delicious, and they made a ton. We pretty much never have leftovers, but we are looking forward to eating these again tomorrow night!

1 cup Green Lentils
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 cups Zucchini, diced
4 cups Arugula
3/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
2-3 Chipotle Pepper with Adobo Sauce
1/2 cup Cilantro
1 Lime, juiced
16 Corn Tortillas
Salt and Pepper, to taste

To make the sauce, place the yogurt, chipotles and adobo, cilantro, and lime juice in a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil (I used part water and part vegetable broth I had in the fridge). Add the lentils and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain if necessary, then add the arugula and stir to wilt. In a sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 15 seconds. Add the zucchini and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until the zucchini becomes golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Warm the tortillas in a hot oven or in the microwave. Layer two tortillas on a plate, spoon the lentil and arugula mixture over the tortillas, followed by the zucchini. Drizzle with the chipotle cream sauce. 

SOURCE: Bev Cooks

Buffalo Chicken Salad with Creamy Avocado Ranch Dressing

We are in desperate need of a detox. Over the past four days, we ate out for six meals! This salad was originally on the menu for earlier past week, but things came up, so it kept getting pushed back. After being burnt out from all of our meals out, we decided that it would be in our best interest to eat salad for dinner tonight, and so this became our dinner. While I am usually a little skeptical of trying things bearing the "buffalo" name, being from Buffalo and all, we definitely approved of this salad! It was perfectly spicy, yet the dressing gave a cooling effect. While healthy, it was also hearty and filling. Not only was the dressing delicious on the salad, but I think it would be equally delicious on tacos or as a dip for vegetables. I may just have to make a large batch to keep on hand in the fridge!

For the Chicken:
2 cups Panko
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 Egg Whites
1 tablespoon Water
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1/4 teaspoon Dried Thyme
Cooking Spray
1 pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into strips
1/2 cup Hot Sauce (I used Frank's)

Combine the panko and olive oil in a skillet and toast over medium heat until golden, stirring often, about 10 minutes. In the first of three shallow dishes, spread the toasted breadcrumbs. In the second dish, whisk the flour, garlic powder, and salt. In the third dish, whisk together the egg whites, water, mustard, and thyme. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray. Pat the chicken strips dry and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each piece in the flour mixture to coat completely, shaking off the excess. Dip the strip into the egg white mixture, then finally coat with the panko. Place the chicken strips on the prepared rack over the baking sheet. Spray the top of the chicken strips lightly with additional cooking spray. Bake at 475 degrees for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink and reads 160 degrees internally on a thermometer. Pour the hot sauce in a bowl and use tongs to lightly coat the chicken strips with the sauce.

For the Dressing:
1/2 Avocado, roughly chopped
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup Sour Cream
2 teaspoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
1 bunch Chives, coarsely shopped (I used a scallion)
2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Up to 1/2 cup Buttermilk (I used between 1/3-1/2 cup)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, beginning by using only 1/4 cup of buttermilk, and blend for about 10 seconds. Check the consistency and taste, and blend in additional buttermilk as desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

For the Salad:
6-8 cups Salad Greens, such as bibb lettuce and baby spinach
3/4 cup Grape Tomatoes, halved
Crumbled Blue Cheese
1 Carrot, diced
1 Scallion, sliced 

Toss salad greens with cheese, tomatoes, carrot, and scallion. Divide between serving plates and top with a few chicken strips. Drizzle lightly with dressing.

SOURCE: Annie's Eats

Cheddar Jalapeño Burgers

Mother Nature finally got the message that it is spring and not winter because our temperatures have been on the rise these past few days! Even though we use our grill all year, even in the snow, there is something about the first warm spring day that makes the grill scream "use me!" So, today we did! Despite some rain, we had a craving for burgers. Being that we are always searching for new flavor combinations for our burgers, I decided to give these a try. They came together very quickly and were absolutely delicious! These were the perfect way to welcome spring. Now, I just hope that this weather sticks around for a while!

1 1/2 pounds Ground Chicken (I used ground turkey)
1/2 cup Onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup Cilantro, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Jalapeño, chopped (I used 1/2 of a large jalapeño)
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Paprika
1/3 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salt and Pepper

Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix everything until well incorporated, taking care not to over mix. Form the mixture into four equal-sized patties. Cook the burgers on a grill over medium heat until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Serve each burger on a bun topped with sour cream and guacamole, if desired (I put a little bit of bbq sauce on mine and it was delicious).

SOURCE: What's Gabby Cooking

Hummus Crusted Chicken

Chicken is one of the most versatile meats around, a blank canvas just waiting to be dressed up in every way possible. I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate chicken into our meal plan, pairing it with different flavors just to change things up. As soon as I saw this recipe pop up on my reeder (and also a million times on Pinterest), I knew that I had to give it a try. Not only is it a dressed up chicken recipe, but it incorporates zucchini and yellow squash, my favorite vegetables! For such a simple recipe, this chicken packs in the flavor. You won't be disappointed with this recipe!

4 Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
Salt and Pepper
1 Zucchini, chopped
1 Yellow Squash, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
1 cup Hummus, store-bought or homemade
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1-2 Lemons
1 teaspoon Sumac or Paprika

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini, squash, and onion with olive oil until evenly coated, then season with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in an even layer over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then lay them over the top of the vegetables. Cover each breast with hummus so that it is covered. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle the entire pan with paprika or sumac. Thinly slice the remaining lemon and place the slices between the chicken and vegetables, if desired. Bake at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. 

SOURCE: Gimme Some Oven