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For all the busy cooks out there, here are a couple of recipes to help you put dinner on the table quickly, easily, and economically. With a crockpot entree of meat and potatoes, add a make-ahead green bean salad and you are ready to feed your family a nutritious dinner in no time at all.

PORK ROAST WITH ONIONS AND POTATOES

This recipe requires a 4-quart slowcooker for best results.

Approximately 3 lb boneless pork loin roast, trim off fat

1 large garlic clove, sliced
5 medium potatoes, washed, cubed, unpeeled
1 large onion, sliced
3/4 cup water (or tomato juice, if desired)
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp cold water

Make slits in roast in insert slices of garlic. Place roast under broiler to brown. Put potatoes in slow cooker. Add 1/2 the onion slices. Place roast atop vegetables and cover with remaining onions. Combine water or juice with soy sauce and pour over roast. Place lid on slowcooker and cook on low about 8 hours. When ready to serve, remove roast and vegetables from cooker. Combine cornstarch and cold water. Add to the liquid in the slow cooker. Turn cooker to high until liquid is thickened. Slice meat and serve thickened liquid over the meat and vegetables.

This recipe has a few more protein grams than carbs so it is excellent for diabetics who want to enjoy some good old "meat and potatoes".

GREEN BEAN SALAD

2 cans French-style green beans, drained
1 small can of peas, drained
4 celery sticks, diced
1/2 medium bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1small jar pimento

Dressing:

1 1/2 cup Splenda
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp water

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the vegetables together.

To make the dressing, in a separate mixing bowl combine, all the dressing ingredients together. Pour dressing over vegetables, toss to mix well and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. One and a half hour before serving, drain vegetables. Note: This is a great dish to make ahead for convenience later.

Enjoy!