Tasty Low Carb Meal - WTF and WOW Recipe WednesdaySour

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I'm keeping things on the low carb side this week and next.  It is a fast way to lose a few pounds.  There's no way I'm giving up most of my carbs AND vodka.  I'm not drinking beer and that is hard enough for me.  I'll just have a martini here and there and maybe everywhere.  Here's what I made last night.  I gotta say...with meals like this, you don't so much miss the carbs.

Tomato Garlic & Basil Pork Chops, Cucumber Salad and a Blackberry Martini

I had quite a few pork chops in the freezer.  We usually try to get a big package of pork chops at Sam's.  It is cheaper to buy in bulk and separate each pork chop into its own freezer bag.  I then freeze them and thaw them out when ready to use.  Grill Mates has some really good marinade mix.  I used their Tomato, Garlic & Basil marinade.  Obviously, just follow directions on the mix.  I poured the marinade over the thawed pork chops still in their freezer bag and put in the fridge.  Do this a few hours before dinner for the best taste.  Grill medium/high heat, four to five minutes each side (less for thinner pork chops).

For the Cucumber Salad, I sliced one cucumber and sliced 1/4 of a red onion.  I put the cucumber and red onion in a bowl and added 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of splenda, 1/4 cup of sour cream, a handful of chopped dill and salt and pepper to taste.  I stirred it up and put it in the fridge for the two hours that the pork chops marinade.

For the martini, I infused blackberries into my simple syrup.  I put a few handfuls of blackberries in the food processor and ground them for a bit.  I put them in a pan, along with 2 cups of water and 2 cups of splenda.  Heat to a boil.  Then strain finished syrup into a pitcher or mason jar.  Allow to cool.  Cut up a lemon into wedges.  Use lemon wedge to moisten top of martini glass and dunk rim in bowl of splenda.  Squeeze the lemon juice from the wedge in your martini shaker and add ice to shaker.  Pour equal amounts of vodka and blackberry infused simple syrup in shaker.  Shake it or stir it, depending on preference and strain in martini glass.