Making Good Choices Monday: Traveling, Airports and Hotlanta

I recently went on a trip to Hotlanta for a dietitian convention (I know what you're thinking but they are pretty amazing, hence why I am writing this post). Traveling is always so hard when you are trying to eat and exercise right. The minute I get to the airport, I think I am on vacation and it's time to pig out! But this trip I was going to do my best to find balance and still fit into my pants when I returned home.  Here are my suggestions for balance during travel:

1. Be physically active. 

 

I know, I know, who wants to workout on a trip. Most hotels have some kind of fitness facility. This picture was taken at 4 am because a dietitian convention means a packed fitness center. But if that is not your thing, hotels have stairs and many places to walk. Just move more. 

2. Drink water. Have water be 90% of your beverage intake. When your travel, your fluid status goes haywire especially if you are sitting on a plane or riding in a car for a long period of time. Caffeine, sugar and sodium make it worse and if your socks are leaving prints in your legs, you need water!

3. Watch sodium when dining out. 

You will eat more than 2 times the amount of sodium you should consume in a day while traveling because of  dining out. Make sure to order a salad with every meal as well as a vegetable with your meal (and request no salt added). This will help keep it in check.

4. Be careful of the airport and gas stations. 

There is a ton of iffy food in these 2 locations. And if you're like me, yep, you love them! There will always be healthy options available. Water, unsweetened tea, raw nuts, single servings of trail mix, jerky, string cheese...lots of options are available for snacks.

When dining out, there will be at least one healthy option along the way. My choice in Hotlanta was Qdoba. I had a taco salad without the shell, chicken and pico salsa. 

And I loved that the airport had handy signs that told you how far you were from something by walking. So instead of just sitting at the gate, I was motivated to move it! 

It was a tough journey. I did indulge one evening on shrimp and grits, collard greens, black eyed peas and cornbread. I did get up and worked on my fitness in the morning and drank my weight in water the next day. Oh and I did have some peach cobbler as well. This trip, I did not gain a pound and I still enjoyed all the food my tummy could handle. 

I can be a little healthier during trips and I know you can too! Happy travels!

~Crazy

Pumpkin Carving Party and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

It's October and only a week till Halloween which only means one thing, pumpkins are in full affect!  Last night was the first time that we decided to have a pumpkin carving family party.  It was beautiful out so we set up everything on the deck and started the party!

Being that it would be all the kids first time of carving pumpkins, I was so excited to be the parent that got to carve and finally have someone else do the slimy work or taking all the seeds out of the pumpkin! (I know, I'm a wuss, I think that's why I haven't carved out a pumpkin since I was little was because I thought the cleaning out of the pumpkin was just too gross!) But, boy was I wrong!  All the kids picked their theme for their pumpkin, but as soon as it was time for them to clean it out they all thought it was too slimy to put their hands in.  I guess I can't blame them since it took me 30 years to appreciate it!  So in the end the pumpkin carving party consisted of myself and my husband carving, cleaning, and fighting off all three children from getting the carving tools.  In the end we all had fun, and the best compliment came from my son that said, "mommy, my pumpkin is so awesome!"  I'll take that as pat in the butt and a good game any day!

The finished product!

Admiring their pumpkins and wanting to play with fire!

See pumpkin carving is so much fun!

The evidence of the pumpkin carving party!

With three hollowed out pumpkins we had a lot of seeds and there's nothing better than some roasted pumpkin seeds.  They are super easy to do, so don't you dare throw those seeds away!

So we start with the seeds and all the pumpkin pulp attached to them.

Put all the seeds into a strainer and rinse them really well.  Notice I put a bowl that is bigger than the strainer so that it can eventually fill up and sit in some water.

You will notice the rinsing will start separating the pumpkin from the seeds and the pumpkin will fall to the bottom of the strainer while the seeds will float to the top.

Nice and cleaned, now all you have to do is skim the seeds off the top, shaking the excessive water off the seeds and put them onto a sprayed sheet tray.

Spread the seeds out onto the sheet tray.

Using your hand to help you create a single layer of seeds in the sheet tray.

Now you can add your seasoning of choice.  I decided to just go with the basic Kosher salt and I sprinkled a generous amount, about 1/4 c. on the seeds.

**Recipe note: because these seeds are bigger, and it's hard to salt the actual seed some people opt for boiling the seeds in salt water before roasting them, but that's an extra step that I choose not to do because I don't feel that it gives the seeds that much better of a product for the time it takes**

After the seeds are salted, put them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 8-25 minutes.  

**Recipe note: I know that time is a wide range but it all depends on your size of pumpkin seeds.  Mine were pretty big so they took about 23 minutes.**

Check the seeds every 5-7 minutes to check in the seeds, they can burn easily.

Once the pumpkin seeds are toasted to your liking, I shut the oven off, open the door, keeping the sheet tray in there, and let it sit for another 5 to 7 minutes.  This just helps crisp them up and dry them all out!  Plus it helps heat up the house a little!  I know I will stop no I sound like a crunchy granola mom!  Which I am far from but maybe secretly aspire to be! 

Once the seeds are cool they are ready to eat.  You can shell all of them and just eat the inside but I think that's too much work and I just eat the whole thing!  Happy snacking this Halloween season!

-Cool

Party it Up with Pork!

                                      

October is National Pork Month and a great time to power up your plate with pork. (I know, there is no pork in this picture, but it is how I start my day. It reminds me to "be inspired"). The high quality of protein in pork may help you feel fuller longer, provide you with an excellent source of many B vitamins for energy and may even help you lose weight.

For a healthy and balanced diet, choose lean cuts of pork. To identify lean cuts of pork at the grocery store, look for the word “loin” on the label, such as pork tenderloin or loin chop. Pork tenderloin is just as lean as a skinless chicken breast. An analysis by the U.S.Department of Agriculture found there are six cuts of pork that are considered either extra lean or lean by labeling standards (less than 10g of fat, 4.5g saturated fat, and 95 mg of cholesterol per serving). These include pork tenderloin, pork boneless top loin chop, pork top loin roast, pork center loin chop, pork sirloin roast and pork rib chop.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that the safe end-point for cooking pork is now 145oF(lowered from 160oF). At 145oF, the pork will be a little pink in color, but is safe to eat. Since today’s pork is leaner than ever, the lower cooking temperature results in a juicier, more flavorful meat. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure proper cooking temperature.

Check out this informative video about pork farmers and the care the put into raising this delicious and healthy protein (oh and it's features your favorite crazy dietitian):

                                 http://youtu.be/8bN1Ta4Nn5M

Pork is a versatile product that can easily be incorporated into all your meals. Try these simple ideas and remember to choose lean cuts of protein:

At breakfast: 

- Make your own healthy breakfast sandwich at home. Start with a light whole wheat English muffin and top with an egg, Canadian bacon (more lean than regular bacon) and low-fat cheese.

- Scramble together eggs, Canadian bacon and veggies and place on a whole wheat tortilla. Serve with your favorite salsa.

- Try Stick-With-You Sunrise Muffins (recipe below).

At lunch:

- Substitute pork for chicken in your favorite homemade chicken noodle soup recipe, or substitute pork for beef in your traditional chilirecipe

- Top romaine lettuce, spinach or kale with thinly sliced pork tenderloin, black beans, pineapple and one of your favorite citrus fruits.

- Fill a whole wheat wrap with lean pork, avocado, red onion and diced green chiles.

At dinner:

- Stir-fry cubed pork loin with your favorite vegetables and serve with quinoa.

- Consider lean pork as a pizza topping; use a whole wheat pizza crust and top with lots of vegetables and 2% shredded cheese.

- Make stuffed peppers using 96%-lean ground pork.

                              

Today I started off with great workout in this snazzy t-shirt and a powerful punch of protein from pork with these simple and delicious muffins:

Stick-With-You Sunrise Muffins

All you need:

•​Hy-Vee olive oil spray

•​6 tablespoons minced green onion

•​9 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper

•​Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

•​12 ounces baby spinach leaves

•​8 large eggs and 4 large egg whites

•​3/4 cup skim milk

•​24 slices Amana Canadian bacon

•​4 ounces grated reduced–fat crumbled feta cheese

All You Do: 

1.​Heat oven to 350 degrees F and arrange rack in middle. Spray muffin pan with olive oil spray.

2.​Spray olive oil in a large frying pan and heat to medium. Add onion and bell pepper; season well with freshly ground black pepper and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook until spinach is well wilted, about 2 minutes

3.​In a bowl, scramble eggs and egg whites and mix with skim milk. 

4.​Place 2 Canadian bacon slices in the bottom of each muffin cup to line it and top with vegetable mixture

5.​Divide eggs into muffin cups and divide feta cheese evenly among the cups.

6.​Put muffin tin on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 to 18 minutes.

Easy Tip:  Prepare multiple muffins and keep frozen. Muffins can be easily microwaved for 1-2 minutes to re-heat for an easy grab-and-go breakfast.

Serving size:  2 muffins

Serves:  6

Adapted from the National Pork Board

~Crazy

 

"It tastes so good when it hits your lips!" Grilled Cheese or Caprese Salad ish Grilled Cheese

I know what you think of when you see the title, Old School, huh?  Did you know "Old School," came out 11 years ago?  Man, I remember watching that in college and laughing so hard.  I thought it was the funniest thing, and remember quoting so many one liners from the movie.  So even though I haven't seen it in a couple years doesn't mean I don't constantly have Will Ferrell quotes going through my head. 

 

Once I ate this grilled cheese, I instanly thought of Will Ferrell's saying "It's so good when it hits your lips!" and so how this sandwich got it's name.  This recipe came to me like most of my favorite recipes do, they come me me as an idea in my head (usually sparked from someone), get thrown around my head for a couple days and thinking about ways to pull it off and make it spectacular, and then get finalized once I look into my fridge to see what I have already in there (because I'm cheap).    We were having an event for our employees and I was told to do a "gourmet grilled cheese."  I originally was wanting to make a caprese salad grilled cheese sandwich (since the "original" name is a little long, that's how the other name came to be), but once I looked around the store and what I had on hand it developed into something more.  So it has the idea of a caprese salad in it, but it turned out way better than I had imagined.

 

This sandwich is the perfect recipe for this time of year.  It's getting colder, and we all want comfort food.  I know I still want fresh and "lighter" ingredients in the fall and winter time so that I don't completely fall off the health wagon and fill out my sweater figure!  You can still find some pretty delicious tomatoes right now since there are so many great greenhouses, but since this is one recipe that I know you will love and want to eat all winter long I have made it fool proof to help out the integrity of the tomatoes when they aren't so much in season.

 

So let's start with the delicious ingredients that all go into this grilled cheese.  Simple quality ingredients that have great flavor alone, but mixed together they turn into a little sandwich of heaven. 

 

 

At the store we have a new bread that is our Italian bread with Italian seasoning on it.  It's baked fresh daily, so I just picked up a loaf and had them slice it up for me.  I mean they have a wonderful machine that takes 10 seconds to slice it, and it all ends up perfectly, without smashing the loaf!  Why would you ever do it yourself again?  Next I had some newer products that I had been meaning to try out and it was the "Tadizione Italiana Cucina and Amore" brand of balsamic vinegar and sun dried tomato pesto.  I know I said I'm cheap but these two items are worth the money, and you can tell the difference.  I knew that the sun dried tomato pesto was going to be the secret ingredient because it would add flavor and depth to the sandwich but if I used the traditional mozzarella cheese it would overpower the mild cheese.  So that's when I perused over to the cheese aisle and found one of my new favorite cheese, the Vivaldi Fontal (fontina) cheese.  This cheese is a little pundent to the nose, but it has a strong flavor that melts ohh so good.  Lastly I knew I needed to add the basil, and some tomatoes.  I ended up using some roma tomatoes because they were on sale, you can use what tickles your fancy.  After all it's your sandwich!

 

 

 

Cut up the tomatoes nice and as thin as you can get them, pour over the balsamic vinegar and add in the basil.  It's best to marinade the tomatoes for at least an hour to soak in all the flavors.  Shred the cheese, and get ready for assembly! 

 

 

These little tomaters have been marinading overnight!

 

 

This is a picture of the grilled cheese making madness, but at least we are still having fun!  It works to have a pan and make them all up together.

 

For assembly we do butter on the outsides of the bread, sun dried tomato pesto on one slice of bread, shredded cheese, 2-3 tomato slices, more shredded cheese (I mean it's still called a grilled cheese so load in full of cheese), and then top bread slice with butter out! 

 

All ready for the grill!

 

In a large skillet or for a large group use a griddle and crank that sucker on high because you want your bread nice and golden brown. 

 

Here is the final product of 40 "It tastes so good when it hits your lips!" grilled cheeses!  I wish I had a better shot of the insides but you must trust me that it's pretty and you want to make it, like NOW!

Pair it with some tomato soup or chili and your fall and winter days just got a little warmer!

Caprese Grilled Cheese- makes 4 sandwiches

 

2 roma tomatoes, sliced

1/4 c. Balsamic vinegar

6 leaves, basil, chiffonade

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt

1/8 tsp. Black pepper

Butter

8 pcs. Thinly sliced Italian Bread

2 tbsp. Sun dried tomato pesto

1/4- 1/2lb. Fontina cheese, shredded ( I used

 

In a small bowl place the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, basil, salt and pepper and let sit for at least 1 hour to marinade.  When you are ready for the sandwich assembly take 4 pieces of bread and butter the outside of each bread slice.  Putting the buttered side down, divide the tomato pesto spread on the pieces of bread.  Next add some shredded cheese over the pesto, two to three marinated tomatoes on each sandwich, top with more cheese, and put on the last pieces of bread with buttered bread facing out.  In a large skillet over medium to high heat add the the sandwiches and cook for 2-4 minutes until nice and golden brown.  Flip over and cook for anouther 3 minutes, until cheese is melted. 

 

-Cool

 

 

 

 

Making it Monday: Pumpkin Mania Gone Healthy!

With the color temps and falling leaves comes.....pumpkin mania!  Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin yogurt, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bagels...pumpkin everything. I like pumpkin but I am not manic about about the flavor but I am manic about the health benefits. 

Pumpkin is a great source of Vitamins A and C, fiber and potassium. It is also so conveinent! Canned pumpkin canned be used in a variety of recipes. Just make sure you are not buying the pie filling to avoid the extra sugar. Canned pumpkin can be mixed into foods to spike their health benefits and flavor. Try mixing in pasta sauces, chili, plain yogurt, macaroni and cheese and it is even great as an oil substitute for your favorite brownie mix. 

I like pumpkin for a healthy recovery smoothie. When you mix it with Greek yogurt and protein powder, you get an awesome drink to repair muscles after a workout. And did you know 1 cup of canned pumpkin has more potassium than a banana? Another superb post-workout reason to consume it. 

Check out our Monday video for the most delicious Pumpkin Spiced Smoothie:  http://youtu.be/NbtY3IzJ67c

Feel free to freeze it for a quick delicious ice cream-like treat to top your favorite fall dessert or to eat alone. 

Pumpkin Spiced Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

1 cup of unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup of vanilla Greek yogurt

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder

1 Tbsp of pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

3 drops of pumpkin spice stevia drops

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Add 4-5 ice cubes for a more milkshake texture. 

~Crazy

Finally It's Friday! Pizza: A Little Slice of Healthy

As a dietitian and lover of food, I am often asked two things:  what is my favorite healthy food and what is my favorite not-so-healthy food?  The best part about it?  It’s the same food. I LOVE PIZZA.  

Pizza comes in all shapes, sizes and flavors.  It can be easily found in the frozen department of your local grocery store, in slices at your favorite convenience store or easily delivered right to your front door. The thing that excites me the most about pizza is I can have the best of both worlds. It can taste delicious and be healthy. 

Why Pizza is Healthy

Pizza can be a very healthy food because it can have almost all the food groups in one dish and achieve balance to your meals. This is why choosing quality and high-nutrient ingredients is a must to increase the health factor of your pizza. Pizza is loaded with vitamins and minerals (tomato sauce and vegetables), calcium (cheese), protein (lean meats) and fiber (whole grain or whole wheat crust). 

Dine-in or Carryout

Yes, you can have healthier pizza when dining out and without changing much of the flavor. When ordering, here are some healthier pizza tips

• Crust. Ask if a whole grain or whole wheat option is available. If it is not, always choose the thinnest crust option to keep your starch servings in check. 

• Extra sauce. Always choose a tomato-based sauce and ask for extra sauce. Pizza sauce is a great source of the antioxidant lycopene that helps keep our cells happy. 

• Load up with vegetables. Many restaurants offer a long list of vegetable options for pizza. I recommend choosing a vegetable pizza as your base and then adding the protein you like.

• Less cheese, please. I love cheese, and cheese is a very important component on pizza, but a pound of cheese is not necessary. I recommend choosing mozzarella cheese and ask if you can have half the regular amount of cheese on your pie. 

• If you like meat on your pizza, I recommend ham or Canadian bacon, chicken, shrimp and beef as leaner options. These are usually going to be the healthiest proteins on the menu. 

• Skip the Parmesan and add the red pepper flakes. The red pepper flakes add more flavor to each slice, which will encourage you to eat less. Also, the heat from the pepper may increase your metabolism. 

At Home

At home, the healthier pizza possibilities are endless!  You can get creative and try new flavor combinations. Please include all the tips for when you are dining out for pizza and add these:

• Making your own sauce. Pizza sauce can be high in sodium, so why not make it from scratch? There are plenty of no-salt-added canned tomato products available, and you can adjust the flavor by adding your own herbs and spices. 

• Herbs and spices. Adding flavor to your pizza is important because the more flavor it has, the less you need to eat of it to be satisfied. Dried herbs likes oregano, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes and fennel have antioxidants similar to fruits and vegetables. 

• Choose flavorful cheese and use less!  When choosing a cheese, choose ones with richer and stronger flavors. I enjoy using parmesan, blue and goat cheese instead of mozzarella. The more flavor, the less you need. 

 

 

Butternut Squash and Prosciutto Pizza

 

4 tablespoons of olive oil, divided

2 cups of butternut squash, cubed (frozen or fresh)

2 tablespoons of agave nectar, divided

2 teaspoons of chili powder, divided

2 teaspoons of cinnamon, divided

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, divided

4 slices of thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into large pieces

½ large red onion, sliced thinly

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 -12 inch pre-made whole wheat pizza crust

6 ounces of shredded Fontina cheese

¼ cup walnut pieces, toasted

6-8 fresh sage leaves

 

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place cubed butternut squash on the pan. 

2.       Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon agave nectar, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg. Mix with the butternut squash and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until tender. 

3.       Warm butter over medium heat and place onions in the pain. Sautee onions until they form a nice brown color on the edges, about 15-20 minutes.

4.       Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon agave nectar, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg with salt and pepper to taste. Spread this mixture over your whole wheat pizza crust. 

5.       Place the roasted butternut squash on the pizza crust, followed by the onions, cheese, prosciutto and toasted walnuts. 

6.       Cook the pizza according to the directions on the pre-made pizza crust. 

7.       Before serving, top the pizza with fresh sage leaves and enjoy!

~Crazy

 

 

What's for Dinner Wednesday: Pork Tacos with Jicama Salsa

It's Wednesday, happy hump day!  Now, what's for dinner?  I know that wasn't very nice to ask, I sound like your kids don't I?  I mean it's not even 5 o'clock and I'm already asking the dreaded question of the day.  Well if you don't have a plan and are heading to the grocery store today, pick up the ingredients for the following recipe so that you will have a plan for tomorrow's dinner.  You will be happy you did.  October is national pork month so I feel it's only fitting to bring you a simple easy recipe of pork tacos with jicama salsa.  Look how fresh, and colorful it looks?

 

 

If you are always in a hurry in the morning like I am, I like to do everything but the actually cooking of the pork the night before.  It just takes a little planning on your end, and you will be so happy with the end results.

 

So let's get started.  All you need to start the pork tacos is your pork butt, okay it usually is called something like a pork shoulder pork butt roast, but that's way to long to say and pork butt just makes me smile so there you go.  You will also need four seasonings, and some beef broth.   

Combine the cumin, salt, cayenne and black pepper in a small bowl for your rub.

Put the pork on a tray or plate and sprinkle the rub and massage it into the meat.

When it's all covered with the rub, throw it into a large piping hot skillet on high heat.  You are going to sear the pork to trap in the juices to ensure a delicious, juicy, and flavorful meat is your end product. 

**This is my "trick" for all of my slow cooker meals.  I sear all my pork and beef before putting it in the slow cooker  It's so good and comes out so moist.**

After searing the pork for about 3-5 minutes, flip it over and do it again on the other side, and don't forget the sides!

Doesn't that just look like something you want to eat for dinner?  Not yet, you have to wait!!!

When all sides are browned put the meat into you slow cooker, add the beef broth and turn on low for 8 hours to start cooking.  

**Tip: Like I said you can do all of the steps above up to turning on the slow cooker the night before.  I just put my slow cooker insert packed with the meat in the fridge and cover with the lid so all I have to do is put the slow cooker in the warming unit and turn it on in the morning. EASY EASY **

  Let the slow cooker cook, go along with your day, but make sure you leave the house otherwise the smell might make you start salsa dancing and calling your neighbors over for a fiesta at 10am! 

Once the pork is in the slow cooker, you can make the jicama salsa or this part you can actually make the night before as well.  I told you it's was simple, as long as you plan a little! 

So first you are going to take the jicama, and cut the end off each side to have a level surface to work with and cut around.  You will then take your knife and cut around the skin, removing it all.  Notice how I said knife, please don't use a vegetable peeler.  The skin is way to thick and it's more work than is needed.  A jicama is sometimes called a Mexican potato.  I know this sounds wierd but it tastes like a cross between a potato and an apple.  It's good try it!  Don't be scared, new foods are not always scary!

Remove all the skin, leaving only the white part and start dicing into little pieces.  

You want them bite size pieces, and then put them into a bowl.

Dice up the red peppers

and add those to the bowl.

Take your red onion, and dice it, dice it real good.  Do do do do do do do dododododo!

Add the onions to the fiesta and look how colorful it is.

Add on the thawed frozen corn, or if you are like me and make it the night before just throw it in frozen.  It'll thaw overnight.

Now drain and rinse the black beans.  You don't want any of that black gunk in your pretty salsa!

Ahhh, so much better!

And add the black beans to the fiesta as well.

Just add in the lime juice.  It's usually about a 1/2 lime juiced.

Mince up the cilantro, really fine.  If you don't like cilantro don't add it, but I will tell you it gives it good flavor but isn't overwhelming.

Add the cilantro to the bowl, and we are oh so close

Final ingredient is to add a little bit of light Italian dressing.

Mix it all up and there you have it, your fresh jicama salsa is ready for refrigeration.  It is nice to have the salsa sit a couple hours to marinade and let the flavors blend together, but I get that we are all busy so if you don't have time for it to sit, don't do it.  

Okay so now let's get back to the meat.  8 hours later and it's all ready!  Look at that pretty piece of meat.  If you had smell-o-vision right now you would start making me some margaritas right now.

Now the hard part is getting the pork out of the crock pot onto the plate because it is so tender that it just wants to fall apart.  Don't get frustrated, I use 2 forks or even 2 pairs on tongs and place it onto a plate and start shredding with the forks.  This will not take any strength or effort because it is so tender but it's a crucial step to get all the fat off the meat.  

Once it's all shredded, and the fat is discarded, you are ready for assembly.  On your warm tortillas, put a generous amount of pork on the bottom and top with the jicama salsa.

That's so pretty!  So pretty, fresh and colorful it just doesn't stand a chance.

The last bite stands alone!
 

Pork Tacos with Jicama Salsa

Pork Tacos

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

3/4 tsp. black pepper

2-3lb. Boneless Pork Shoulder Butt Roast

1 c. beef broth

tortillas

Jicama Salsa

1 1/2 c. jicama, peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper

1/2 c. red onion

1 c. frozen corn, thawed

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tbsp. cilantro, minced

1 tbsp. lime juice

1/3 c. Italian dressing

In a small bowl combine the cumin, salt, cayenne and black pepper.  Set the pork on top of a large place and massage the cumin mixture into it.  In a large skillet on high heat sear the pork for 3-5 minutes on each side to trap in the moisture.  Place the pork in the slow cooker and pour the beef broth over it.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  

For the salsa: In a large bowl combine the jicama, pepper, onion, corn, beans, cilantro, lime juice and dressing.  Refrigerate until serving.

Assembly: Shred the pork, discarding the fat, and set aside.  On a warmed tortilla place the seasoned pork and top with jicama salsa. 

Enjoy!

-Cool