Recipe: Slow cooker pork and pumpkin stew

This hearty stew is loaded with flavor and nutrition. The main ingredient, pumpkin, is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s loaded with vitamins and minerals, including copper, iron, manganese, potassium, beta carotene and vitamins, A, B, C and E. Pumpkin can also help protect your heart, eyesight and bones. Can’t find fresh? Substitute canned whole pumpkin instead.

Makes 8 1-cup servings.

Ingredients

• 16 ounces pork shoulder (trimmed of all visible fat, cut into 1-inch cubes) 
• ½ teaspoon black pepper 
• 1 teaspoon salt-free, all-purpose seasoning 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth 
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 peeled, diced onion 
• 4 diced celery stalks 
• 3 peeled, diced carrots 
• 1 small peeled, seeded and diced sugar/pie pumpkin 
• 4 cloves minced garlic 
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme 
• 1 bay leaf 
• 1 14.5-ounce can drained, rinsed black beans

Directions

• Season the cubed pork with the pepper and salt-free seasoning. 
• Add the oil to a large pan over high heat and brown the pork, cooking for about 8 minutes. 
• Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Add the tomato paste, beef broth and cinnamon to the pan and whisk. Remove the pan from the heat. 
• Add the browned meat, liquid and remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine. 
• Cook on high for 4 hours (or low for 8 hours). Stir in the beans and cook for 20 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf before serving. 

Recipe adapted from diabetesfoodhub.org 

Nutrition per serving: 150 calories, 5g fat, 30mg cholesterol, 170mg sodium, 15g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 4g total sugars, 14g protein.

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