Pulled pork is one of the easiest things to make if you’re short on time (or on the ability to stand for very long.) All I do is trim the fat off of two pork tenderloins, put them in the crockpot in a couple of inches of water, add some garlic powder or garlic salt, and cook on high for 4-6 hours. You could also use your favorite BBQ sauce to cook it in, as well. Then, I take out the meat, shred it with a fork, and it’s ready to go! Since I eat gluten free, I have been coming up with ways other than sandwiches to use the pork. I actually had it on top of brown rice several times this past week (with sweet potato fries on the side), and it was wonderful!! Ali thought so as well….

The other way I made it was into tostadas! I always have yellow corn tortillas on hand, because they are gluten free and super yummy. They’re also a great, versatile food to have on hand. They are SO easy to make! Just turn your oven on broil, set the tortillas straight onto the top rack, and cook until they turn crunchy. I think I had mine in the oven for about 5-7 minutes total, flipping them over halfway through. Then, put your pork on the tortillas, top with BBQ sauce (if you haven’t already added it) and low fat cheese, and broil for another 2-3 minutes. I made them with two different kinds of cheeses:

The cheese above is an Ultra Thin Sliced cheddar cheese by Sargento. The next is the same kind of thin sliced cheese, but in provolone instead:

You can also make tacos with the pulled pork! I would just add some no-MSG taco seasoning to the pork instead of BBQ sauce. Add low fat cheese, low fat Greek yogurt (I use it instead of sour cream), pico de gallo or salsa, cilantro and maybe green onions. I might actually try that next time! 

One little pointer I want to share with you guys that seems simple, but is very easy to dismiss when you’re making healthier food choices. We’re not all prepping for a physique show, but I know people that are and learned this from them. Obviously having ketchup instead of mayo or creamy dressing is a much better choice. If you’re like me, though, it’s really easy to go overboard!! Portion control has not always been my strong point, but it’s something I work on regularly. 

Whenever I dip anything in sauce, I like to drench it! When I use ketchup, I allow myself to have as much as I want. After reading a Facebook post from the person I was referring to above about ways he cuts calories and sugars before a show, I decided to take a closer look at the labels of my condiments. Check out this ketchup:

It doesn’t seem that bad until you do the math. I know I have at least 2-3 TBSP with sweet potato fries. Also consider that these calories are on top of the amount already in my meal. 3 TBSP would be 60 calories and 12 grams of sugar. If I had this meal 5 times a week for a year, it would add up to 15,600 calories. Divide that by 3,500 calories per pound, and you get approximately 4.5 pounds of weight gain over the course of a year. If you work out regularly, this really shouldn’t be a problem. For me right now though, I can’t workout, so I have to be aware of where my calories come from and cut them where I can so I don’t gain weight. It is tedious, so I am not telling you to focus in on this or obsess over it. I am just making you aware that calories can add up fast. 

To improve the content of my condiments, I got a new ketchup:

It does have sucralose (aka Splenda) in it, but it’s one of the last ingredients, and I do not eat it everyday. It still tastes great! It also has 1/4 of the calories and sugar than the regular. I did the same thing with my BBQ sauce. The average barbecue sauce has 30-50 calories per 1-2 TBSP, and anywhere from 4-12 grams of sugar per serving. This sugar free BBQ sauce tastes wonderful!!

It does have sucralose as well, so that decision is obviously up to you. I find that companies are gradually switching their artificial sweeteners from aspartame to sucralose. I am happy about this, but I have personally switched from Splenda to Stevia when it comes to what I add to things I make. 

Mustard is also a great choice that has minimal calories and wonderful flavor! I’m not sure about mustard on pork, but maybe I could make some kind of rub or sauce out of it! I’m just thinking out loud….I’ll let you know if I come up with one :-).

Anyway,I hope you guys like this idea, and try it yourself!! Take a picture of your creations and tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you do!! Have an awesome rest of your week, and stay healthy!!

Happy Trails!

Stacey