Two Recipes to Share

For those of you that read my last post, you know that I am in the process of de-stressing my life. One easy way to streamline your week is take a few minutes on the weekend to map out your weekly meals.

If you have had a session or class with EF, you have probably heard me sing Clean Eating magazine's praises. This magazine inspired me to begin cooking back in 2007 when I stumbled upon it at a local store. I may not do all the cooking in my house, but seeing realistic recipes and healthier meals was a breath of fresh air. The magazine also highlights cooking basics that novices such as myself had never learned...like how to roast just about anything, how to peel and cut a fresh mango, etc. Back then, the magazine came out quarterly (or was it every 2 months?). The reason I bring up this magazine now is that I still subscribe. In each issue, you can find two great sections. 1: 5 budget meals and, 2: A 2-week meal plan that encompasses breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks (plus a super handy shopping list). It really doesn't get any easier than that! Most meals on the meal plan are ready in 30 minutes or less. So, my husband and I sat down and picked out a few meals that we wanted to make this week. Last night we made Island Pork and Sweet Potato Toss w/ Caramelized Onions from the Nov/Dec 2011 issue. It was great! A nice change from the same old 5 or 6 dinners that we seem to rotate through. There was a fair amount of peeling and chopping beforehand, but if the whole family chips in, dinner will be ready in a jiffy (about 30 min). Here's the recipe:

1 tsp evoo

1 1/2 lb sweet onions, sliced into thin rounds

1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 orange, juiced and zested

3/4 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2 in cubes

1 large granny smith apple

1- IN a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium for 1 min. Add onions and sauté, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.

2- Meanwhile, fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and reduce heat to medium; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3- To skillet with onions, stir in soy sauce, orange juice and zest. Add pork and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 min, until pork is cooked through.

4- Meanwhile, cut apple into 1/2 in cubes. Add to pork mixture and cook for 1 min. Remove from heat and stir in potatoes. Serve immediately.

On a somewhat related note, my in-laws were kind enough to send us an immersion blender for Christmas. It makes the best smoothies! So much better than the blender and not nearly as pricey as a VitaMix. Here's one of my made up smoothies. Great for breakfast on the go or a post workout/afternoon snack. It makes 2 servings.

Cherry Smoothie (2 servings)

1 cup frozen strawberries, unsweetened

6 oz non-fat, plain greek yogurt

3-4 inches of a fresh banana

2 T ground flax meal

1/4-1/2 cup V-fusion Açai Juice (can substitute OJ if you like)

1/2 cup frozen dark sweet cherries, unsweetened

1- Microwave the strawberries for about 30 seconds; just enough to soften slightly.

2- In a tall plastic cup, combine strawberries, yogurt, banana, flax and V-fusion. Use immersion blender to mix thoroughly (can also use countertop blender if you like). Add in the cherries and mix for 15-20 seconds, or until smooth.
3- NOTE: if you'd like to increase the serving size but not the calories, add in some crushed ice.

Nutrition Info (for 1 serving)

174 cal

3.1 g fat

11.4 g protein

26.7 g carbohydrate

17.4 g sugar

135.5 mg calcium

If you have a recipe that you'd like to share, post here or on the EF Facebook page.