Lesson #32: Johnny Appleseed Pork Chops

Low Carb Cooking 101

Certain foods “go together” in my mind; for example, pork and apples are one of my favorite combinations. The Johnny Appleseed Pork Chops in tonight’s menu are a luscious change of pace from savory pork chops. If you’re going to stick to a low carbohydrate eating plan, it’s important to add some variety to your menus with a recipe like this.

Tonight’s menu is also particularly pretty on the table. Remember, we eat with our eyes as well as our mouths. The pork chops with their topping of Zapples are golden brown, the spaghetti squash is a bright honey orange, and the red leaf lettuce adds a both green and dark red to the color spectrum. Picture perfect!

Here’s this evening’s menu:

• Johnny Appleseed Pork Chops
• Buttery Spaghetti Squash
• Red Leaf Salad With Hot Bacon Dressing

Here’s the shopping list for the meal: (You may very well already have some of these things on hand.)

• 4 boneless pork chops
• 1/4 pound bacon
• 1 large jicama
• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 bunch red leaf lettuce
• 1 egg
• butter
• apple cider vinegar (White vinegar can be substituted, if you wish.)
• sugar free apple cider drink mix
• Brown Sugar Twin
• Splenda (in packets)
• Splenda (granular)
• apple pie spice
• salt
• pepper
• not/Starch

Here’s the game plan:

The night before you plan to serve the meal, take the pork chops out of the freezer and put them in the refrigerator to thaw. If you don’t have Zapples already made, start them going in the crockpot, following the recipe directions. If you want to, you can also make the Hot Bacon Dressing at this time, although it’s not strictly necessary. You can cook the spaghetti squash at this time, too, if you wish to streamline tomorrow night’s dinner preparations.

If you don’t precook the spaghetti squash and are using the oven method (see recipe below) to cook it, start the squash baking about an hour before you plan to serve the meal.

Prepare the pork chops according to the recipe instructions and start them baking about 45 minutes before you plan to sit down to eat. (They can go right in the oven with the spaghetti squash.)

While the pork chops and spaghetti squash are baking, set the table. Wash and dry the red leaf lettuce and tear it into bite-sized pieces in the salad bowls. Make the Hot Bacon Dressing if you didn’t make it the night before. When the dressing is done, remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the dressing into a microwave-proof pitcher. Set the pitcher aside.

If you are using the microwave method for cooking the spaghetti squash, place it in the microwave now. (See recipe below.)

After 30 minutes, take the pork chops out of the oven and top them with the Zapple slices, Splenda, and Brown Sugar Twin. Return the pork chops to the oven for an additional 15 minutes.

Take the spaghetti squash out of the microwave or oven and finish preparing it. If it cools off too much before the pork chops are done, you can pop it in the microwave to get it piping hot again.

Heat the Hot Bacon Dressing in the microwave. A minute or two should do it if it is already room temperature. (It will take longer if you’ve had it in the refrigerator.) Put the pitcher of hot dressing on the table so that people can serve themselves.

Take the pork chops out of the oven and place them, along with the spaghetti squash, on the plates.

Call everybody to the table, and sit down to a well-deserved, relaxing meal.

And, finally, here’s the recipes:

Johnny Appleseed Pork Chops

• 4 boneless pork chops
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)
• 8 slices Zapples (***Note: See recipe below.)
• 4 teaspoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar Twin

Place the pork chops in a nonstick sprayed shallow baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Uncover the pork chops, and place 2 Zapple slices on top of each pork chop. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of butter and sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon Brown Sugar Twin on top of each pork chop.

Bake another 15 minutes.

Serves 4.

Crockpot Zapple Slices

• 1 large jicama, peeled and sliced (***See note.)
• 2-3 packets sugar free apple cider drink mix
• 2 packets Splenda
• 1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 2 cups hot water

Place the sliced and peeled jicama in the bottom of the crockpot

Dissolve the sugar free apple cider drink mix, Splenda, and apple pie spice in the hot water. Pour the mixture over the jicama slices.

Turn the crockpot on low and cook the jicama for 24 hours. (Yes, 24 hours. Jicama is one tough vegetable.)

Serve the Zapples hot or cold.

To store the Zapple slices, let them cool to room temperature and then store them in a covered container in the liquid that they were cooked in. They will keep up to 10 days in the refrigerator.

***Note: Peeling jicama is not fun, but you can accomplish it with a minimum of frustration and swearing by remembering that you cannot peel it round and round like an apple.

Peeling jicama is much easier if you slice a thin slice off the top and bottom of the jicama, then use a sharp knife to loosen thin strips of the peel, beginning at the top or bottom. When you have enough peel loose, put down the knife and pull downwards on the peel. You should be able to pull off substantial strips of peel this way, although you’ll be darn lucky if you can get it all by working from one end.

When you have removed as much peel as you can from one end of the jicama, flip it over and repeat the process from the other end.

Use the knife to remove any remaining peel, then rinse off the peeled jicama before slicing.

Buttery Spaghetti Squash
If you are unfamiliar with spaghetti squash, go to the produce section of your grocery and look for large yellow footballs.

• 1 spaghetti squash
  
• boiling water
  
• butter (to taste)
  
• salt (to taste)
  
• pepper (to taste)
  

Oven Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a large, sharp knife, cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Using a heavy spoon, scoop out the seeds and other “innards” from the center of the squash halves.

Place the spaghetti squash halves cut side down in a large baking dish. Pour boiling water into the baking dish to a depth of 1/2 inch.

Bake the spaghetti squash at 350 degrees until tender. This will take about an hour.

Remove the spaghetti squash halves from the baking dish.

Microwave Method:

Using a very sharp knife of a metal skewer, poke holes all over the spaghetti squash. Be sure to insert the knife or skewer all the way to the center of the spaghetti squash. (Do not skip this step unless you want the squash to explode in the microwave!)

Microwave the spaghetti squash on high for 7 to 10 minutes. To check for doneness, poke the knife or skewer into the squash. The utensil should go in easily and smoothly. The skin of the squash should be soft and you should not encounter any “hard” spots.

Using oven mitts, remove the spaghetti squash from the microwave.

Finishing touches:

Using an oven mitt, hold one half of the spaghetti squash in one hand and scoop out the orange flesh into a heatproof bowl. Repeat this procedure with the second spaghetti squash half.

Butter, salt, and pepper the spaghetti squash to your own personal taste and serve immediately.

Since spaghetti squash vary widely in size, this recipe will serve a minimum of four. (1/2 cup of cooked spaghetti squash has 5 grams of carbohydrates.)

***Note: Cooked spaghetti squash freezes beautifully. I always buy the biggest one I can find, then freeze the leftovers in individual portions.

Wilted Red Leaf Salad With Hot Bacon Dressing

• 1 bunch red leaf lettuce, washed and patted dry
  
• Hot Bacon Dressing (***Note: See recipe below.)
  

Wash the lettuce and pat it dry. (Or use a salad spinner if you have one.) Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place it into the salad bowls.

Immediately before sitting down to eat, pour Hot Bacon Dressing over the lettuce leaves.

Serves 4 to 6.

Hot Bacon Dressing

• 1/2 cup granular Splenda (or to taste)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  
• 1 cup cater
  
• 1/4 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
  
• 1/2 tablespoon not/Starch (or to taste)
  

Combine all the ingredients except the not/Starch in a saucepan. Cook on medium high heat, whisking to thoroughly combine the ingredients, until the mixture begins to boil.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the not/Starch until the mixture is smooth and has reached the desired consistency. Return the saucepan to the stove and continue cooking until the dressing again boils.

Serve immediately over lettuce or spinach.

***Note: Hot Bacon Dressing can be made ahead of time and reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave. I like to reheat the hot dressing in a small pitcher and reheat it in the microwave so that it is easily poured over the salads. (Stir before serving.)