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EAT SMART 5 INGREDIENTS

APPLE-CINNAMON PORK LOIN

I love making this slow-cooked dinner for my family on chilly fall days—the comforting apple-cinnamon aroma fills our whole house. The pork roast tastes even better served with homemade mashed potatoes.

—RACHEL SCHULTZ LANSING, MI


PREP: 20 MIN. • COOK: 6 HOURS • MAKES: 6 SERVINGS

1 boneless pork loin roast (2 to 3 pounds)

1 /2 teaspoon salt

1 /4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 medium apples, peeled and sliced, divided

1 /4 cup honey

1 small red onion, halved and sliced

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Minced fresh parsley, optional

1.  Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown roast in oil on all sides; cool slightly. With a paring knife, cut about sixteen 3-in.-deep slits in the sides of the roast; insert one apple slice into each slit.

2.  Place half the remaining apples in a 4-qt. slow cooker. Set the roast over the apples. Drizzle with honey; top with onion and the remaining apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

3.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the meat is tender. Remove pork and apple mixture; keep warm.

4.  Transfer the cooking juices to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Serve with pork and apple mixture. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

PER SERVING 290 cal., 10g fat ( 3g sat. fat ) , 75mg chol., 241mg sod., 22g carb. ( 19g sugars, 2g fiber ) , 29g pro. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 /2 fruit, 1 /2 fat.