Category Archives: Meat

Pork Loin with Sweet Potato and Spinach

Healthy, Meat, Other Leave a comment

Serves: 4-6 | Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 pork loin or pork tenderloin (1 1/4 lbs)
  • 1 TBSP plus 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 TBSP maple syrup
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and grated in food processor
  • 2 large shallots, chopped
  • 1 small package baby spinach, chopped
  • hot sauce or Heinz 57 sauce, optional

Directions:

  1. Heat broiler on high. Place pork on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Rub with 1 tsp of the olive oil, chili powder and 1/4 tsp salt and pepper.
  2. Broil, turning occasionally and basting with maple syrup twice, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  3. In a food processor with the grating disk, grate sweet potatoes.
  4. Heat 1 TBSP oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, until beginning to brown, about 2 -3 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and cook, tossing occasionally until tender, 7-9 minutes more.
  5. Add spinach and cook, tossing until wilted, about 1-2 minutes more.
  6. Serve pork and sweet potatoes with Heinz 57 sauce.

Notes: This was crazy good and a surprising hit with the whole family. Made great leftovers.

Recipe Origin:  Real Simple– I added some time to the potatoes because mine weren’t crispy with their timing.

Voula’s Chicken Pita with Tzatziki

Chicken, Healthy, Quick Leave a comment

Servings: 4 | Time: 20 minutes, even quicker if your chicken is already cooked

Ingredients:

  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  •  salt and pepper
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 cucumber, seeded and grated (about 1 1/4 cups) (use food processor if you want)
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 4 flat breads or pitas, warmed
  • 1 small romaine heart, leaves torn
  • 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 
  2. Season chicken with cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cook 6-7 minutes on each side. Cut into bite sized pieces.
  3. Mix together yogurt, cucumber, mint, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper in medium bowl.
  4. Top flat breads/ pitas with romaine, chicken, tomatoes and tzatziki.

Notes:

Recipe Origin: Real Simple recipe originally but modified by our Greek friend Voula.

Beef Fried Rice

Beef Leave a comment

Servings: 4 | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup white rice
  • 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
  • canola oil
  • 2 sliced green onions
  • 1 TBSP garlic, chopped
  • 1 TBSP ginger, chopped
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup snow peas
  • 4 sliced carrots
  • 2 TBSP hoisin sauce
  • 2 TBSP rice vinegar

Directions:

  1. Cook 3/4 cup rice according to directions. 
  2. Brown 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey in canola oil with 2 sliced green onions and 1 TBSP each of garlic and ginger.
  3. Add rice, 1 cup frozen peas, 1 cup snow peas, 4 sliced carrots, and 2 TBSP hoisin sauce and rice vinegar.
  4. Cook until heated through and top with sliced green onions.

Notes:

Recipe Origin:

Pasta with Broccoli and Turkey

Healthy, Other, Pasta, Quick Leave a comment

Servings: 4 | Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 lb orecchiete
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • olive oil
  • 1 tsp fennel seed
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • slat
  • parmesan

Directions:

  1. Cook 3/4 lb pasta. Set your timer for 1 minute LESS than the recommended cooking time. 
  2. When timer goes off, add 2 cups broccoli florets to the pasta and water. Cook for 1 minute and drain this in a colander.
  3. In a separate skillet, brown turkey in olive oil with 2 cloves chopped garlic, 1 tsp fennel seed, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, and salt to taste.
  4. Combine pasta, turkey, 2 TBSP olive oil, and freshly grated parmesan.

Notes:

Recipe Origin:

Pork Tenderloin with Herbs, Asparagus and Crispy Potatoes

Healthy, Meat, Other Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Yield: 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs new potatoes, quartered
  • 3 TBS olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4 lbs)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
  • 2 TBSP fresh thyme leaves (only the leaves, not the stems)
  • 1 bunch asparagus, ends snapped off
  • 1 lemon, sliced

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. Trim tenderloins of any silver skin.  Pat dry with paper towels.
  3. Rub all over with parsley, thyme, and 1/4 tsp salt and pepper.
  4. Put potatoes in oven and let cook for 10 minutes. Shake them and put them in another 10 minutes.
  5. Heat 1 TBSP oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 8-10 minutes.
  6. Add asparagus and lemon and drizzle with another 1 TBSP oil.
  7. Move pan with potatoes one level down in oven. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until pork is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
  8. Let pork rest 5 minutes before slicing.
  9. Serve with potatoes, asparagus and lemon.

Notes: This was good and made good leftovers.

Recipe Origin:  Real Simple– I added some time to the potatoes because mine weren’t crispy with their timing.

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken, Meat, Slow Cooker Leave a comment

Notes: Toughest part of this is browning the chicken. After that it’s easy.

Servings: 6-8 | Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 3 lbs chicken pieces (I used thighs and drumsticks). Skinned, but the drumsticks I used had a little skin on them and I left them that way.
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 2 cups sliced button mushrooms
  • 1- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained (I use Muir Glen because they are BPA free)
  • 1-1/4 cups chopped yellow bell pepper
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped carrots (about 2 medium)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 TBSP fresh basil, cut in ribbons
  • 2 TBSP fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

  1. Put flour in a large Ziploc bag. Add 3-4 chicken pieces at a time, shaking. In an extra-large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in hot oil about 12 minutes or until browned, turning a few times. Transfer chicken to 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.
  2. Add mushrooms to skillet. Cook and stir over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Pour in slow cooker.
  3. Add drained tomatoes, pepper, onion, carrots, wine, salt and pepper to slow cooker.
  4. Cover and cook on high for 3- 1/2 hours. Right before serving, stir in basil, parsley and thyme.

Recipe Origin: Adapted from this recipe.

Marinated Meat and Veggie Packs

Beef, Chicken, Grill, Healthy, Meat, Other Leave a comment

Notes: Prep work chopping veggies will take up most of your time. After that it’s super easy. Food for days!

Servings: 4-6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1¼ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt + extra for sprinkling
  • 1½ pounds meat (chicken, beef, or combination), cut into 1½” to 2″ dice
  • 1 bell pepper (any color), cut into 1″ dice
  • 1 yellow onion, cut into 1″ dice
  • 2 small zucchini, cut into 1″ dice
  • 1 medium sweet potato, cut into ¼” to ½” dice
  • 8 oz baby bella or white button mushrooms, left whole if they are small. Sliced in half if not.
  • pepper, to taste
  • note: requires aluminum foil
  • Seasoning: Sprouts seasoning, Breakfast Klub, Tony Cachere’s, or whatever you like.

Directions:

  1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, and spices. Set aside.
  2. Cut 8 large pieces (about 12-14″ long each) of foil and lay them out double stacked to start 4 grill packets.
  3. Evenly distribute the diced meat and veggies onto each stack of foil and somewhat “flatten” out the contents for even cooking.
  4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then finish off each packet with equal amounts of marinade drizzled right on top.
  5. Carefully bring up the long sides of the foil so the edges meet at the center. Fold the two edges over together at least three times. Fold up the edges on the open sides at least two to three times and crimp those together with your fingers as well. 
  6. Let the food marinate for a minimum of 1 to 2 hours.
  7. Directions for Grill: Grill the packets flipping them once until the meat is cooked to desired doneness, about 20 to 25 minutes total.
  8. Directions for Oven: Cook on 375F for 25 minutes.
  9. Carefully open each foil packet to let steam release before eating. Serve with pasta or rice.

Recipe Origin: