Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Oranges

August 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Growing up, pork chops and applesauce were a staple on our table.  It is such a perfect combination, that I now always think pork should be served with fruit.  My husband, however, isn’t a fan of sweet mixed with savory.  This recipe is the perfect mix of both of our tastes.  The pork has a hint of of sweetness, but not overly so.  Using citrus gives it just enough zing.

This is so quick to put together and while it is cooking on the grill, you can easily cook your other side dishes right next to it.  We’ve been enjoying this with grilled potatoes and onions and fresh tomatoes from our CSA.  I’ve made this many times this summer and always have trouble getting a good picture.  We’re usually so hungry, we gobble it right up – which I think means that I have to share this recipe with you right away.

One tenderloin provides plenty for our family of 3.5 (a .5 deduction since Ella eats so little still) with enough leftovers for my lunch the next day.  Sometimes pork tenderloins come  two to a package.  If you are serving a group, double the recipe and grill both, or split the doubled marinade into 2 bags and freeze the extra for another day.

The oranges are optional, but I think they’re a fun, bright visual and I have enjoyed squeezing the juice from the wedges over my meal.  Enjoy!

Print
Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Oranges

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 c orange juice
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1 lb pork tenderloin
  • 1 orange, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. Place a 1 gallon zip-top bag into a medium bowl. Fold down the top of the bag about an inch or two so that the zipper is on the outside. (I do this so the top of the bag doesn't get messy when I add the marinade ingredients.)
  2. Add all of the ingredients to the zip-top bag, except for the pork. Hold up the bag and, without spilling the contents, mix the ingredients by smushing the outside of the bag with your hands.
  3. Add the pork to the zip-top bag.
  4. Make sure the pork is well coated in the bag, then squeeze all of the air out and seal the zip top.
  5. Store in the bowl(in case of leaks) and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
  6. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium high heat.
  7. Grill the tenderloin for 15-25 minutes, turning several times to brown on all sides, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees in the thickest part.
  8. Remove from the grill and place on a plate. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  9. While the pork is resting, place the orange wedges on the grill and cook about 3 minutes per side, or until you see nice grill marks on the flesh.
  10. Slice the pork tenderloin and serve warm with the orange wedges.

Notes

Adapted from Ina Garten via Annie's Eats

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http://feedingmysunshine.com/marinated-pork-tenderloin-with-grilled-oranges/

 

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On Our Table: A Growing Garden

July 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 

Is it me, or is summer flying by?  I am amazed when I look behind our house and see these 4 patches of lush green garden.  Not so long ago it wasn’t much to look at.

My husband is the garden man.  He is the one to credit for our beautiful backyard.  My thumb is far from green…more like brown.  Unfortunately any plant that ends up in my care usually doesn’t last long.  I have been very little help with the actual planting of our garden.  But if he grows it, I will cook it.

Our gardening history goes way back to our first apartment together, 9 years ago.  Our balcony had the worst view of the alley and our neighbor’s garage (I cried when I saw our view – fortunately we didn’t stay there long).  We grew tomato plants in plants in pots on the balcony.  So cute and domestic, I thought.  Soon after we moved to our now home, newly remodeled with a completely bare backyard.  It had one tree and a whole lot of dirt.  We spent years working on the landscaping, and 3 years ago graduated from pots and built two 4′x4′ square garden beds.  Last year we added two more.

This year we started early in the spring with seed selection and one square planted with early crops and tented to protect them from the frost.  Everything seemed to grow so slowly, then all of the sudden there it was.  So far we have harvested peas, spinach and lettuce.  We have also been giving away tomato plants to our neighbors.

When we signed up for our CSA this year, I chose only a single share for our family of 4.  Not only did I  want to make sure we would eat it all, but I knew we would be supplementing with our own garden.  So far, this has worked out really well.

What we are growing:

  • Tomato: Roma, Cherry, Beefsteak, and one other we can’t remember (King something)
  • Jalepeno
  • Green Bell Pepper
  • Peas
  • Herbs: Cilantro, Basil, Mint, Chives, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme
  • Spinach
  • Mesculin Mix
  • Summer squash: Straight Neck and Zucchini
  • Canteloupe
  • Cucumber
  • Corn (seeds Jackson’s grew from a preschool craft)
  • Sunflower

Jackson is a natural in the garden, just like his dad.  His favorite task is watering, which we do daily.  He is always reminding me that “the plants are thirsty.”  With Jackson’s help, I think my brown thumb might be turning just a little bit green.

I can’t wait to see how our plants turn out this year.  What is your favorite vegetable to grow?

 

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An Update: Cutting Out Refined Sugar

June 20, 2012 By 2 Comments

Well, the past two weeks have been interesting.  Removing refined sugar from diet has been pretty challenging for me, and let me first admit that I haven’t actually done that completely.

The first week, my sugar cravings were pretty consistent.  Every afternoon around 3 pm they would arrive.  I would try to keep them at bay with some red peppers and hummus or crackers and cheese. Staying hydrated was pretty key too.

But after that first weekend, I was one tired mama with my husband out of town.  While searching for something in our pantry, I came across a half eaten box of Raisinettes from a movie we went to recently.  Those were gone in seconds,without another thought.

I also had a handful of Annie’s Party Mix (leftover from Jackson & Ella’s birthday party) before I looked at the ingredients and, low and behold, there was sugar.  And then at book club, I just had to try my friend’s pudding pie.  (It was fantastic!)

So for a while I was a bit hard on myself for “cheating.”  But that’s not a good way to feel.  Still, I kept on the challenge and tried to avoid refined sugar as much as possible.  Along the way, I realized that what I thought of as “cheating” wasn’t really important.  Overall, I have drastically reduced my refined sugar consumption.  And isn’t that the purpose of this whole challenge?

Here is what I have learned so far:

  • Unsweetened ketchup is pretty good.  By itself, it tastes like concentrated tomato juice but when you add it to a hamburger or baked potato wedges, I love it!  I’ve been using Westbrae Natural’s Unsweetened Ketchup and it’s a keeper.
  • With natural sweeteners, a little goes a long way.  I’m really enjoying maple syrup in my morning coffee.  I have found that since maple syrup and honey have more flavor than white sugar, I don’t need to use as much.  Better flavor, less calories… win-win!
  • Many other ingredients can provide a sweeter taste, not just sugar.  I made this recipe for Baked Oatmeal Cups, and the applesauce and banana give it a nice hint of sweet.  Also, if you want to reduce sugar content in a baked good, try adding a little more cinnamon or vanilla extract.  Those flavors go so well with sugar, they can trick you into thinking there is more sweetener than there really is.

I’ve already passed the halfway mark this challenge.  I’m sticking with it and will be mindful of what I am eating, but if I slip…I’ll get right back up again!

 

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Watermelon Agua Fresca Cocktail {Book & Cook}

June 12, 2012 By 5 Comments

Last night I met up with my girlfriends for our first book club in two months.  Busy schedules had kept us from meeting last month, so I was so looking forward to a fun, relaxing night.

Our book this month was Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.  The novel follows three generations of a Greek family, detailing their new life in American, their quest for the American dream and one family member’s struggle with gender identity.

I did not read the book this month, unfortunately too many things were on my plate and I never even opened the cover.  I had tried to read this book years ago and was never able to get through the first few chapters.  I think that may be why I kept pushing it off.  My friends who finished the book really enjoyed it and we were able to have some thought provoking conversation, mainly on the topic of gender identity.

I usually like to theme my menu contribution to our book, so I was thinking some sort of Greek dish.  I had purchased a large watermelon last week, and need to use it up quickly.  My first thought was a watermelon and feta salad, which would be a great Greek side dish.  But the more I thought about it, I knew we needed to relax after a busy month.  Exit feta, enter vodka.

I’ve been seeing recipes for Agua Frescas all over the place this summer and knew I could easily turn it into a cocktail.  Translating to “fresh waters,” an agua fresca is basically a fruit drink or ade.  Very popular in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, you can usually find them being served fresh on the street.

Since my watermelon wasn’t very ripe, I added a good amount of honey to the syrup.  You could easily reduce the amount of sweetener, or omit it all together.  If you don’t want to include any added sweetener, just steep the lime zest and mint in plain water to release their essence and proceed as normal.

Just a little warning, the juice was so good I barely noticed the vodka in my drink.  Go slowly!

Print
Watermelon Agua Fresca Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint plus more sprigs for garnish (one store bought package was enough)
  • 2 limes: 1 for the recipe, and 1 cut into wedges for garnish
  • 9 cups cubed seedless watermelon
  • vodka

Instructions

  1. Using a vegetable peeler, zest one lime by peeling the skin in long strips. Be careful to only remove the green skin and not the white pith.
  2. In a small saucepan, mix the water and honey on medium heat, stirring often to dissolve the honey. Once the syrup comes to a slow boil, remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Add the lime zest and chopped mint to the honey syrup and allow it steep for 15-30 minutes, while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
  4. Juice the zested lime and set aside (should produce about 1/4 cup of juice).
  5. Working in batches, puree the watermelon in a food processor or blender.
  6. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl or pitcher. Reserve the pulp.
  7. Strain the honey syrup and add that to the watermelon juice along with the lime juice.
  8. Repeat this process with the remaining pulp and mint/lime zest from the syrup. Puree, strain and add this juice to the rest of the watermelon juice. (Now you can discard any remaining pulp.)
  9. Chill your juice and vodka until ready to serve. Make sure to stir the juice well before serving since watermelon juice tends to separate.
  10. To serve, fill your glass with ice and add your desired amount of vodka.
  11. Fill the rest of the glass with your watermelon juice and garnish with a sprig of mint and a lime wedge.

Notes

This recipe makes 1 1/2 quarts. It was the perfect amount for our group of 6 people.

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http://feedingmysunshine.com/watermelon-agua-fresca-cocktail-book-cook/

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7 Reasons to Join a CSA

June 6, 2012 By 2 Comments


Today was our first produce pick-up of the season with our CSA.  I’m really looking forward to the months ahead and I thought I would share with you some reasons to join a CSA.

CSA: Community Supported Agriculture

As a CSA member, you purchase a “share” of a local farm before the growing season begins.  In my area, many farms have wait lists so it is good to think about this early (even up to a year in advance).  Your share size is determined by how much vegetables you plan on eating.  Are you single or a do you have a family?  Are you a vegetarian or do you eat more vegetables than the average person?  Once the farm is ready to harvest their first crops in the spring they schedule their first “pick-up,” which could be at the farm or at a designated location.  My farm is over an hour away from my house, but once a week they deliver the produce to several areas in my town.  My pick-up is less than a mile from home.

1. Support a local farmer

This is the main reason I joined my CSA.  Local farmers are struggling to compete with low cost produce from large industrial farms.  By purchasing your share before the season begins, they can be comfortable knowing that a bad year won’t put them out of business.  Yes, it is a risk you take as the member, but also know that the members receive a generous bounty when weather conditions have been good to the farm.  With payment taken care of in advance, the farmer is also able to focus more on the farm during harvest, rather than the business of pricing, selling, etc.

2. Eat more fruits and vegetables

This one is pretty obvious, but it is another amazing benefit of a CSA.  Since you have already paid for the produce, you better get your money’s worth.  You are certainly more likely to eat food that is already in your home, rather than having to go to the store.  And next week there will be another delivery, so you must make room in the fridge!  Eat up!

3. Try NEW fruits and vegetables or re-try ones you thought you didn’t like

Have you ever had or even seen a kolrahbi?  Would you even know what to do with it?  Thought you hated radishes?  Maybe you don’t like them raw, but that recipe your farmer sent for pickled radishes seems kind of interesting.  While most farms grow your usual assortment of produce, they sometimes like to throw in a few quirky items here and there.  Often their newsletter will explain the items you will receive and how to best prepare them.  A purple carrot?  Try it, you might like it!

4. Spend less time in the grocery store

During the summer, the last place I want to be is the grocery store.  With your produce taken care of, you can be in and out in a jiffy.  If you plan it well, you may be able to stock up at a store once or twice a month.  And look at what other items the farm may offer.  Many CSAs also provide eggs, honey, bread and meat.

5. Save money on organic produce

Organic produce can be expensive to purchase, especially in a conventional grocery store.  There they have to mark up the produce since it is something that doesn’t move as often.  My farm is certified organic, which is nice.  Some farms, while not actually certified, may still employ organic practices (certification can be expensive for a small farm).  Just ask your farmer about how they do it.  They are always happy to share.

6. Meet like minded people

Weekly produce pick-ups are a great way to build community.  You see the same people week after week and get to know them.  Like you, they are interested in where their food comes from and supporting local businesses.  They may know a great source for grass-fed beef, or talk about their favorite vendor at the farmer’s market.  You can also connect on different levels, like “how do you like your stroller?” (which, by the way, is a question I have asked random strangers about a million times).

7. Learn about the workings of a farm and become a better gardener yourself

 As a CSA member, you can get access to a farm without actually, you know, owning a farm.  Many offer a reduced price on shares if you volunteer your time and a little sweat equity for working days.  Some also offer special days where you can harvest your own produce, like we did with strawberries and asparagus.  While we were there, our farmer provided us with little tidbits on how they fertilize, rotate crops and which cops thrive or fail in our climate.  Priceless.

So have I missed any?  What do you love about your CSA?  If you aren’t a member yet, have I convinced you to join?


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