Soda Pop Chops with smashed potatoes

These were soooo good!! I'm very hesitant to post the N.I. for them but keep in mind that it INCLUDES the smashed potatoes. I used pork chops from tenderloin so they were much lower in fat and decreased the sodium when I could (read lesser amount in the breading). Also, the N.I. takes into account the use of the olive oil for browning purposes. That being said, this was excellent and I'll make it again for sure! Even the kids LOVED it which is virtually unheard of.

Soda Pop Chops with Smashed Potatoes
TOH Simple and Delicious Magazine


1-1/2 pounds small red potatoes, halved
1 cup root beer (I used diet root beer)
1 cup ketchup (I used low sugar ketchup)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
4 bone-in pork loin chops (7 ounces each) ( I used boneless pork loin)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder


Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the root beer, ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder; set aside. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add pork chops, one at a time, and shake to coat.
In a large skillet, brown chops in oil. Add root beer mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until meat is tender, turning once. Remove pork and keep warm.
Bring sauce to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Meanwhile, drain potatoes; mash with butter, garlic powder and remaining salt and pepper. Serve with pork chops and sauce.
Yield: 4 servings.


Nutrition Facts: 1 pork chop with 1/2 cup potatoes and 1/3 cup sauce equals 637 calories, 29 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 112 mg cholesterol, 1,222 mg sodium, 59 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 36 g protein.

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

This was super easy and quite tasty. Taken from the cookbook "Eat what you love" by Marlene Koch. I loved the BBQ sauce because it was homemade and low in calories/sugar/fat/etc. I'd definitely make this again. Next time I think I'll BBQ the breasts on the grill and baste with the sauce during the last few minutes of cook time. Either way this is a delicious, low calorie/sugar/fat dinner that everyone liked.

Slow cooker BBQ chicken

Makes 6 servings

Sauce
1 cup sugar-free root beer*
1 cup reduced-sugar ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika

2 1/2 to 3 pounds skinless chicken breasts and thighs

*Sweetened with sucralose

1. To make the sauce, whisk together all the sauce ingredients (through the paprika) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Place the chicken in a slow cooker and pour 3/4 cup of the barbecue sauce on top. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 hours on high, or 7 to 8 hours on low. Heat the remaining barbecue sauce for 10 to 15 more minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Serve with cooked chicken.

Or try this: For Oven Root Beer Barbequed Chicken, brown the chicken piece in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and coat with 3/4 cup of the barbecue sauce. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes at 350˚F, or until the chicken is completely cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, simmer the remaining sauce for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Baste chicken with sauce before serving.

Marlene Says: Most barbecue sauces average 12 to 16 grams of carbohydrate (with 9 to 12 of them coming from sugar) per typical 2-tablespoon serving. To reduce the amount of sugar, make your own, or look for a reduced-sugar brand like KC Masterpiece Classic Blend.

Nutrition information per serving (1/6 recipe): Calories: 210; Carbohydrate: 6 g (Sugars: 3 g); Total Fat: 7 g (Sat Fat: 2 g); Protein: 29 g; Fiber: 1 g; Cholesterol: 90 mg; Sodium: 420 mg

Food Exchanges: 4 Lean Meat
Carbohydrate Choice: 1/2
Weight Watcher Point Comparison: 4