Crock Pot Pork Chops and Green Beans

Oh, do I love pork chops!   So when I came across a crock pot recipe using pork chops and no canned or creamy soups or gravy, I was like a kid in a candy store.  Except the super-healthy and wholesome variety of a candy store... 

The process was really very simple.

Recipe: (from Spark Recipes)
5 boneless pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups green beans, frozen or fresh (I used fresh)
2 strips bacon, cut up
1 cup water
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Place pork chops in bottom of slow cooker.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Top with remaining ingredients in the order listed.

Cook 4-8 hours on low. (I cooked for 5 hours.  It probably would have been done at 4.)

Serve with a side of applesauce (homemade, warm, and sprinkled with cinnamon of course), and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

• Servings Per Recipe: 5
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 151.4

• Total Fat: 6.8 g
• Cholesterol: 44.6 mg
• Sodium: 504.9 mg
• Total Carbs: 4.3 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.0 g

As far as 'health' goes, the sodium is a bit high, thanks to the bacon, but I didn't think the bacon added much to the flavor anyhow, so if sodium is a concern for you, it could probably be omitted.  Or you could not add any salt in the 'salt and pepper to taste' step.  The calorie count is low, and even without the addition of a carbohydrate (rice, potato, bread...), it felt filling to me.

Verdict:
To be honest, I don't think I would make pork chops this way again.  As previously stated, I love pork chops, so while this recipe was edible, there are too many other possibilities out there for me to bother with this one again.  The pork chop was a bit on the dry side (not too bad, but not perfect either).  In my opinion, the green beans were a bit overdone.  One possible change would be to add the green beans in the last hour or two of cooking rather than at the beginning.  But then doesn't that forfeit the 'fix it and forget it' purpose of a crock pot?  The applesauce was easily the best part of the meal... and will be featured in a post all of its own soon.  Stay tuned!