Mexican Green Sauce Pulled Pork

I got the inspiration for this recipe from Well Plated Salsa Verde Pulled Pork. This is yet another super cheap and easy recipe that will save you money on groceries and time in the evening. It's also fairly healthy compared to regular pork and is 21 Day Fix friendly when served on a salad with a sprinkling of brown rice and feta cheese. 

Be sure to get the right cut of pork or it won't work - trust me I've tried! You'll want to find a big hunk of pork butt or shoulder at the grocery store (don't worry, pork butt is actually not the pig's butt). If the whole thing won't fit in your slow cooker you can chop it in half and freeze the other half for later. Pork shoulder is incredibly inexpensive so adding this meal to your regular rotation will be good for your budget and your health.

The trick to making pulled pork healthy is to pass on the barbecue sauce and add some healthy sauces and seasonings instead. Barbecue sauce is full of sugar which are just empty calories your body doesn't need. And guess what, sugar gives you body a spike of energy but then you'll crash afterwards so it's not good for your energy levels either.

Instead have the pork with a chipotle yogurt dressing which is just as tasty. Just mix 1/4 cup of yogurt with a teaspoon of chipotle seasoning and a minced clove of garlic. Add a tablespoon of both olive oil and freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice and a tablespoon of minced cilantro if you're feeling fancy.

I know this recipe has sugar in it (gasp!) but the sugar is very minimal over all - you're not drenching the pork in sugar like you would with barbecue sauce, okay? I have added a step to Well Plated's version of this recipe of frying up the pork after taking it out of the slow cooker (you don't need to add oil to the pan, the juices from the slow cooker will boil off). This step is optional but if you like crispy, charred type tastes you'll love it this way. I have my pulled pork on corn tortillas, on a salad, in a burrito - pretty much any way you can think of.

Have the pork with brown rice and veggies is a great way to get a well-balanced meal which will keep you feeling full! 

Green Sauce Pulled Pork       Makes about 12 burritos Ingredients  1 Bottle Mexican Green Sauce (salsa verde) 1 Onion, cut into quarters 4 Cloves Garlic, chopped 1 Tbsp Cumin 1 Tbsp Chili Powder 1 Tbsp Salt 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar 1 Cup Boiling water   2 Lbs Pork Shoulder or butt, small enough to fit in your slow cooker Directions Turn on your slow cooker and pour in the cup of boiling water - this helps it heat up quicker. Cover the pork shoulder in salt and pat dry with paper towel. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or low for 8 to 10 hours - it's really not rocket science. When the pork is ready it will come apart easily with two forks. Pull it apart. Fry it up in a large pan for about 10 minutes to boil off the excess juices and brown it and get it nice and crispy (this part is optional but it makes it very tasty). Serve on tortillas with cilantro, lime, avocado and yogurt.

You also might like: How I lost 15 Lbs in 60 Days or 11 Ways to Actually Complete a Workout Program

Vegan Superfood Mocha Latte Recipe

Guys, I have to admit to you I used to have a bad Starbucks addiction. I worked at Chapters and my treat for every shift was a latte or London Fog. I willfully ignored the nutrition information but when I finally checked it I was shocked. Back then they were still making their lattes with whole milk and with the whipped cream on top drinking a latte was more like eating a Big Mac but without the protein! 

Because a latte is so high in calories but provides very little nutritional value I would put it in the "empty calorie" category along with pop! Empty calories are calories that provide no vitamins or protein - things that keep your body going - along with the calories. Empty calories may provide a spike in your energy from sugar but you'll soon experience a "crash" and feel more tired and hungry than you started leading you to eat more and crave more empty calories. This is why you should avoid empty calories in the first place! 

The Starbucks website uses some sly tactics like making their list of small treats in the biggest font which leads the reader to go their first and assumes their treats are healthy. When you see the "mini scone" they advertise in person though it's flippin tiny! I would never just eat one single mini scone. They also list the smallest drinks first on the menu and make the large drinks hard to read in a giant chart. They also don't include the whipped cream in their calorie calculations. 

Nowadays, the odd time I'll go to a Starbucks, I'll order an Americano and add my own milk. I've also sworn off any sweetener in my coffee. It was hard at first - I used to take double sugar in my coffee but now I can't stand the taste of a double double. It's amazing how our taste buds adjust. I first switched to stevia to replace the sugar and then slowly reduced the stevia until I was used to no sweetener! Why did I remove the stevia too? Studies show that even artificial sweeteners like stevia cause people to crave more sweet things and therefore people don't lose weight when they switch to artificial sweeteners. 

Instead of a latte filled with empty calories I have concocted this latte filled with a balance of protein, healthy carbs, vitamins and even hormone-balancing maca root. This is a perfect drink in the morning because the variety of plant-based protein (eg. rice, quinoa and amaranth) in the Shakeology provides long-lasting energy throughout the day unlike other protein powder that are whey-based. I also find whey-based protein powder bothers my stomach - especially early in the morning. You can drink it in the place of breakfast which is what I do if I'm in a rush and what my dad does every day! 

When you're feeling full and energized you'll be more likely to stick to your healthy diet and feel more energized for your workouts! 

Vegan Superfood Mocha Latte Recipe           Makes 1 Serving Ingredients  1 Scoop Chocolate Vegan Shakeology 1 Cup Almond Milk 1 Cup Freshly Brewed Coffee 1 Tsp Vanilla 1/2 Banana Directions Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high until the ingredients are combined and the almond milk is frothy. Drink warm!

You also might like: How I lost 15 Lbs in 60 Days or 11 Ways to Actually Complete a Workout Program