Slow Cooker Asian Style Pork - First Way: Over Egg Noodles with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Onions
Okay, so I needed a sort of cost efficient meal that would last at least 3 days.  So I decided on a slow cooker pork recipe because I can use the shredded pork over a course of like four days and do something different with it each day.  I came across a recipe that I really liked that inspired this idea.  My inspiration came from SkinnyTaste once again.  Then because I couldn’t find a five spice blend at my normal grocery store (I didn’t want to go to the Asian grocery store), I ventured off onto Google to find a different Asian flavored slow cooker pork recipe hoping to come across something that didn’t include five spice.  I wasn’t that successful but this second recipe did wow me and I love these flavors so I decided to use this recipe (minus the five spice blend) and incorporated how SkinnyTaste puts her meal together. 
I wasn’t surprised that this dish was going to be pure gold!  As soon as I came home from work, I didn’t even need to imagine how delicious this would be, the smell alone was awesome!  It was freaking yummy!  Try it out!
Recipe for the sauce I ended up using found on the MyRecipes website my changes or adaptations are italicized. 
Ingredients
1/4 cup  low-sodium soy sauce (I ran out of normal soy sauce so I used what I had which was a Mushroom Flavored Dark Soy Sauce)  
1/4 cup  hoisin sauce  
3 tablespoons  ketchup  
3 tablespoons  honey  
2 teaspoons  bottled minced garlic  
2 teaspoons  grated peeled fresh ginger  
1 teaspoon  dark sesame oil (allergic to sesames so opted out of this)  
1/2 teaspoon  five-spice powder (didn’t have any on hand, opted out of this too)  
2 pounds  boneless Boston butt pork roast, trimmed
1/2 cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
Additional items for this specific meal:  whole wheat egg noodles, handfuls of fresh spinach, one red onion, 8oz of mushrooms, and of course Sriracha
Directions
Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.  I didn’t have time to marinate, so I just seared the pork on all sides in a skillet (method from SkinnyTaste) and created the sauce mixture and put the pork and the mixture into the crock pot all at once.  
Place pork and marinade in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Again, this was very last minute, so I cooked this on high for 4 hours. 
Remove pork from slow cooker using a slotted spoon; place on a cutting board or work surface. Cover with aluminum foil; keep warm.
Add broth to sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Shred pork with 2 forks; serve with sauce.
This next part I used SkinnyTaste’s recipe for inspiration and for what to do with the veggies. 
I removed the pork from the slow cooker and let it rest in foil.  I put an 8oz container of baby bella mushrooms into the slow cooker along with sliced red onions.  I let this cook on high for 20 minutes while I shredded the pork. 
I cooked two servings of whole wheat egg noodles and right before draining the egg noodles I put a few handfuls of spinach in and cooked it for a few seconds. I then took some of the egg noodles/spinach and tossed it in with a bit of sauce from the slow cooker to get a good coating. 
I topped the egg noodles/spinach with the shredded pork, the mushrooms/onions, and garnished with scallions and sriracha!  Slow Cooker Asian Style Pork - First Way: Over Egg Noodles with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Onions
Okay, so I needed a sort of cost efficient meal that would last at least 3 days.  So I decided on a slow cooker pork recipe because I can use the shredded pork over a course of like four days and do something different with it each day.  I came across a recipe that I really liked that inspired this idea.  My inspiration came from SkinnyTaste once again.  Then because I couldn’t find a five spice blend at my normal grocery store (I didn’t want to go to the Asian grocery store), I ventured off onto Google to find a different Asian flavored slow cooker pork recipe hoping to come across something that didn’t include five spice.  I wasn’t that successful but this second recipe did wow me and I love these flavors so I decided to use this recipe (minus the five spice blend) and incorporated how SkinnyTaste puts her meal together. 
I wasn’t surprised that this dish was going to be pure gold!  As soon as I came home from work, I didn’t even need to imagine how delicious this would be, the smell alone was awesome!  It was freaking yummy!  Try it out!
Recipe for the sauce I ended up using found on the MyRecipes website my changes or adaptations are italicized. 
Ingredients
1/4 cup  low-sodium soy sauce (I ran out of normal soy sauce so I used what I had which was a Mushroom Flavored Dark Soy Sauce)  
1/4 cup  hoisin sauce  
3 tablespoons  ketchup  
3 tablespoons  honey  
2 teaspoons  bottled minced garlic  
2 teaspoons  grated peeled fresh ginger  
1 teaspoon  dark sesame oil (allergic to sesames so opted out of this)  
1/2 teaspoon  five-spice powder (didn’t have any on hand, opted out of this too)  
2 pounds  boneless Boston butt pork roast, trimmed
1/2 cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
Additional items for this specific meal:  whole wheat egg noodles, handfuls of fresh spinach, one red onion, 8oz of mushrooms, and of course Sriracha
Directions
Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.  I didn’t have time to marinate, so I just seared the pork on all sides in a skillet (method from SkinnyTaste) and created the sauce mixture and put the pork and the mixture into the crock pot all at once.  
Place pork and marinade in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Again, this was very last minute, so I cooked this on high for 4 hours. 
Remove pork from slow cooker using a slotted spoon; place on a cutting board or work surface. Cover with aluminum foil; keep warm.
Add broth to sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Shred pork with 2 forks; serve with sauce.
This next part I used SkinnyTaste’s recipe for inspiration and for what to do with the veggies. 
I removed the pork from the slow cooker and let it rest in foil.  I put an 8oz container of baby bella mushrooms into the slow cooker along with sliced red onions.  I let this cook on high for 20 minutes while I shredded the pork. 
I cooked two servings of whole wheat egg noodles and right before draining the egg noodles I put a few handfuls of spinach in and cooked it for a few seconds. I then took some of the egg noodles/spinach and tossed it in with a bit of sauce from the slow cooker to get a good coating. 
I topped the egg noodles/spinach with the shredded pork, the mushrooms/onions, and garnished with scallions and sriracha! 

Slow Cooker Asian Style Pork - First Way: Over Egg Noodles with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Onions

Okay, so I needed a sort of cost efficient meal that would last at least 3 days.  So I decided on a slow cooker pork recipe because I can use the shredded pork over a course of like four days and do something different with it each day.  I came across a recipe that I really liked that inspired this idea.  My inspiration came from SkinnyTaste once again.  Then because I couldn’t find a five spice blend at my normal grocery store (I didn’t want to go to the Asian grocery store), I ventured off onto Google to find a different Asian flavored slow cooker pork recipe hoping to come across something that didn’t include five spice.  I wasn’t that successful but this second recipe did wow me and I love these flavors so I decided to use this recipe (minus the five spice blend) and incorporated how SkinnyTaste puts her meal together. 

I wasn’t surprised that this dish was going to be pure gold!  As soon as I came home from work, I didn’t even need to imagine how delicious this would be, the smell alone was awesome!  It was freaking yummy!  Try it out!

Recipe for the sauce I ended up using found on the MyRecipes website my changes or adaptations are italicized

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (I ran out of normal soy sauce so I used what I had which was a Mushroom Flavored Dark Soy Sauce)
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil (allergic to sesames so opted out of this)
  • 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder (didn’t have any on hand, opted out of this too)
  • 2 pounds boneless Boston butt pork roast, trimmed
  • 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • Additional items for this specific meal:  whole wheat egg noodles, handfuls of fresh spinach, one red onion, 8oz of mushrooms, and of course Sriracha

Directions

  1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.  I didn’t have time to marinate, so I just seared the pork on all sides in a skillet (method from SkinnyTaste) and created the sauce mixture and put the pork and the mixture into the crock pot all at once. 
  2. Place pork and marinade in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Again, this was very last minute, so I cooked this on high for 4 hours. 
  3. Remove pork from slow cooker using a slotted spoon; place on a cutting board or work surface. Cover with aluminum foil; keep warm.
  4. Add broth to sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Shred pork with 2 forks; serve with sauce.

This next part I used SkinnyTaste’s recipe for inspiration and for what to do with the veggies. 

I removed the pork from the slow cooker and let it rest in foil.  I put an 8oz container of baby bella mushrooms into the slow cooker along with sliced red onions.  I let this cook on high for 20 minutes while I shredded the pork. 

I cooked two servings of whole wheat egg noodles and right before draining the egg noodles I put a few handfuls of spinach in and cooked it for a few seconds. I then took some of the egg noodles/spinach and tossed it in with a bit of sauce from the slow cooker to get a good coating. 

I topped the egg noodles/spinach with the shredded pork, the mushrooms/onions, and garnished with scallions and sriracha! 

Chicken Tikka Masala in a Slow Cooker

Okay, so I came across this recipe from Pinterest.  I definitely wanted to try it.  I’m very glad that I did!  I got everything into the crock pot the night before.  Popped it into the slow cooker when I came home for lunch break and 4 hours on high later, I walked into my house and I thought I had walked into an Indian restaurant.  I made basmati rice to go along with it and picked up a pack of garlic naan from the grocery store.  Usually I would stay away from store bought naan, but I’ve had this one brand before and when you heat it up, it’s almost as good as what you can get at a restaurant (well not quite, but it’s the best you can get without making your own or going to a restaurant and having them make it for you)! 

Overall this recipe is so simple, so not time consuming and the results are so worth all the hard work! *wink*

P.S. Laura!  This is a recipe you NEED to make!

P.P.S This recipe and it having been made by a non-Indian(me) was very much Indian approved!

Recipe is from Cooking Classy (my adaptations are italicized):

Chicken Tikka Masala in Slow Cooker
Yields 6 servings (I think this could actually be like…8 servings!)

Ingredients

  • 5 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch pieces (my pack of chicken only had 3 breasts, so I highly recommend using more chicken than I did.  I think the five pieces the original author states to use is good because I had LOTS of curry leftover but not a lot of chicken.  But I guess I could just add more chicken another day this week and reuse the curry??)
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp freshly, finely grated ginger
  • 1 jalapeno, stemmed, sliced in half and seeds removed
  • 1 (29 oz) can tomato puree (I recommend Contadina Brand)
  • 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt 
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp Garam Masala
  • 1 Tbsp cumin
  • 1/2 Tbsp paprika
  • 2 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1-3 tsp cayenne pepper*(I used about 5 tsps but I like things really spicy)
  • 2 bay leaves (I forgot about this when doing my grocery list so I didn’t use this..)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (I used 1/2 cup heavy cream..trying to get skinny!)
  • 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
  • Prepared Long Grain White Rice or Basmati Rice
  • Chopped cilantro, for serving

Directions

1.  In a large mixing bowl combine chopped onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, sliced jalapeno, tomato puree, plain yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, Garam Masala, cumin, paprika, salt, cinnamon, pepper and cayenne pepper.  Stir until combine.  

2.  Pour half of sauce mixture into a large slow cooker then add in diced chicken followed then cover chicken with remaining sauce.  Add in 2 bay leaves.  Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low heat for 8 hours (or high for 4 hours).  

3.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and cornstarch, pour mixture into slow cooker and gently stir.  Allow mixture to cook 20 minutes while you prepare the rice.

4.  Remove bay leaves and sliced jalapeno and serve warm over rice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

This note also from original blog: *I put 1 -3 tsp because it is all depending on your heat preference.  If you don’t like spicy foods you could even omit this ingredient.  I go for 3 tsp but I like my food really spicy.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T3i
  2. Aperture: f/2
  3. Exposure: 1/80th
  4. Focal Length: 76mm
Cuban Style Pork and Sweet Potato Slow Cooker Stew with Wild Rice
I had this in the slow cooker during one of my busy baking days last week when I knew most of my night would have been spent on NOT cooking dinner.  This is another Weight Watchers recipe.  This is a seven point dish for a cup and a half of the stew, which is A LOT of food …and a very good use of points.  This point count does not include the wild rice which is about 2 points for half a cup of wild rice.  This is super tasty and filling, definitely a great slow cooker recipe you will have to try on one of your busy days. 
I added a couple extra things to my stew such as 2 jalapenos and a large red onion.  I like my food spicy as you can see by the chili pepper flakes! 
Here’s the recipe since I won’t be able to link to the WW site. 


Ingredients
 1 pound(s)   uncooked sweet potato(es), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I kept the peel on)                                                                
 1 pound(s)  uncooked lean only pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces  
 14 1/2 oz  canned diced tomatoes, with green chiles                                                                
 1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced                                                                
 1/4 cup(s)  unsweetened orange juice  
 2 medium  uncooked scallion(s), chopped (green parts only)                                                                
 1/2 tsp  table salt, or to taste
 1/4 tsp  Durkee  ground cumin, or other brand, or to taste
 1/4 tsp  black pepper, or to taste
 1 1/2 Tbsp  fresh lime juice                                                                
 2 Tbsp  cilantro, fresh, chopped
**I added the following extra ingredients:  

2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
Large red onion, chopped
Chili pepper flakes
Wild rice, prepared in rice cooker







Instructions
Place potatoes, pork, tomatoes, garlic, orange juice, scallions,  salt, cumin and pepper in a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker; cover and cook on  low setting for 7 hours.
Stir in lime juice and cilantro; cover slow cooker and cook for 5  minutes more. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving (including some  cooking liquid). 
I have been trying to eat healthier but all of this holiday feasting has not been helping!  There’s always tomorrow for dieting :)

Cuban Style Pork and Sweet Potato Slow Cooker Stew with Wild Rice
I had this in the slow cooker during one of my busy baking days last week when I knew most of my night would have been spent on NOT cooking dinner.  This is another Weight Watchers recipe.  This is a seven point dish for a cup and a half of the stew, which is A LOT of food …and a very good use of points.  This point count does not include the wild rice which is about 2 points for half a cup of wild rice.  This is super tasty and filling, definitely a great slow cooker recipe you will have to try on one of your busy days. 
I added a couple extra things to my stew such as 2 jalapenos and a large red onion.  I like my food spicy as you can see by the chili pepper flakes! 
Here’s the recipe since I won’t be able to link to the WW site. 


Ingredients
 1 pound(s)   uncooked sweet potato(es), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I kept the peel on)                                                                
 1 pound(s)  uncooked lean only pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces  
 14 1/2 oz  canned diced tomatoes, with green chiles                                                                
 1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced                                                                
 1/4 cup(s)  unsweetened orange juice  
 2 medium  uncooked scallion(s), chopped (green parts only)                                                                
 1/2 tsp  table salt, or to taste
 1/4 tsp  Durkee  ground cumin, or other brand, or to taste
 1/4 tsp  black pepper, or to taste
 1 1/2 Tbsp  fresh lime juice                                                                
 2 Tbsp  cilantro, fresh, chopped
**I added the following extra ingredients:  

2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
Large red onion, chopped
Chili pepper flakes
Wild rice, prepared in rice cooker







Instructions
Place potatoes, pork, tomatoes, garlic, orange juice, scallions,  salt, cumin and pepper in a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker; cover and cook on  low setting for 7 hours.
Stir in lime juice and cilantro; cover slow cooker and cook for 5  minutes more. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving (including some  cooking liquid). 
I have been trying to eat healthier but all of this holiday feasting has not been helping!  There’s always tomorrow for dieting :)

Cuban Style Pork and Sweet Potato Slow Cooker Stew with Wild Rice
I had this in the slow cooker during one of my busy baking days last week when I knew most of my night would have been spent on NOT cooking dinner.  This is another Weight Watchers recipe.  This is a seven point dish for a cup and a half of the stew, which is A LOT of food …and a very good use of points.  This point count does not include the wild rice which is about 2 points for half a cup of wild rice.  This is super tasty and filling, definitely a great slow cooker recipe you will have to try on one of your busy days. 
I added a couple extra things to my stew such as 2 jalapenos and a large red onion.  I like my food spicy as you can see by the chili pepper flakes! 
Here’s the recipe since I won’t be able to link to the WW site. 


Ingredients
 1 pound(s)   uncooked sweet potato(es), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I kept the peel on)                                                                
 1 pound(s)  uncooked lean only pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces  
 14 1/2 oz  canned diced tomatoes, with green chiles                                                                
 1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced                                                                
 1/4 cup(s)  unsweetened orange juice  
 2 medium  uncooked scallion(s), chopped (green parts only)                                                                
 1/2 tsp  table salt, or to taste
 1/4 tsp  Durkee  ground cumin, or other brand, or to taste
 1/4 tsp  black pepper, or to taste
 1 1/2 Tbsp  fresh lime juice                                                                
 2 Tbsp  cilantro, fresh, chopped
**I added the following extra ingredients:  

2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
Large red onion, chopped
Chili pepper flakes
Wild rice, prepared in rice cooker







Instructions
Place potatoes, pork, tomatoes, garlic, orange juice, scallions,  salt, cumin and pepper in a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker; cover and cook on  low setting for 7 hours.
Stir in lime juice and cilantro; cover slow cooker and cook for 5  minutes more. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving (including some  cooking liquid). 
I have been trying to eat healthier but all of this holiday feasting has not been helping!  There’s always tomorrow for dieting :)

Cuban Style Pork and Sweet Potato Slow Cooker Stew with Wild Rice

I had this in the slow cooker during one of my busy baking days last week when I knew most of my night would have been spent on NOT cooking dinner.  This is another Weight Watchers recipe.  This is a seven point dish for a cup and a half of the stew, which is A LOT of food …and a very good use of points.  This point count does not include the wild rice which is about 2 points for half a cup of wild rice.  This is super tasty and filling, definitely a great slow cooker recipe you will have to try on one of your busy days. 

I added a couple extra things to my stew such as 2 jalapenos and a large red onion.  I like my food spicy as you can see by the chili pepper flakes! 

Here’s the recipe since I won’t be able to link to the WW site. 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound(s) uncooked sweet potato(es), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I kept the peel on)   
  • 1 pound(s) uncooked lean only pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces 
  • 14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes, with green chiles   
  • 1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced   
  • 1/4 cup(s) unsweetened orange juice 
  • 2 medium uncooked scallion(s), chopped (green parts only)   
  • 1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp Durkee ground cumin, or other brand, or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice   
  • 2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
**I added the following extra ingredients:  
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
  • Large red onion, chopped
  • Chili pepper flakes
  • Wild rice, prepared in rice cooker
Instructions
  1. Place potatoes, pork, tomatoes, garlic, orange juice, scallions, salt, cumin and pepper in a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker; cover and cook on low setting for 7 hours.

  2. Stir in lime juice and cilantro; cover slow cooker and cook for 5 minutes more. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving (including some cooking liquid).

I have been trying to eat healthier but all of this holiday feasting has not been helping!  There’s always tomorrow for dieting :)

Pulled pork.. finally pulled!  Yum yum..nom nom. 

  1. Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T3i
  2. Aperture: f/3.5
  3. Exposure: 1/30th
  4. Focal Length: 30mm

The S.O.’s portion.  He gets all the good [unhealthy] stuff!

  1. Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T3i
  2. Aperture: f/3.5
  3. Exposure: 1/30th
  4. Focal Length: 35mm

My dish.. had to be a little healthier than the S.O. because I had a very unhealthy lunch.. -__-

No bread for me. 

  1. Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T3i
  2. Aperture: f/3.5
  3. Exposure: 1/30th
  4. Focal Length: 27mm