Spinach, Red Pepper & Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

If you want a recipe for an easy meal that looks fancy, make this Stuffed Pork Tenderloin. If you want to impress your crush or show off to your long-time lover, you need to make this. I promise you, it is easier than you might think and it is delicious!

Spinach, Red Pepper & Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 1.5lb pork tenderloin
1 300g package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
1 red pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 package dried mushrooms (I used a mixture), softened
3 sprigs fresh Rosemary
Butcher's twine (for tying the tenderloin)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place mushrooms in a bowl with boiling water. Let stand 15 minutes until mushrooms have softened and liquid is brown. Discard liquid and finely dice mushrooms, set aside.

Rinse and pat down tenderloin with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the tenderloin lengthwise. Be careful not to pierce all the way through, you want to leave about 1/2" between the pork and your cutting board.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together spinach, diced red pepper, garlic and diced mushrooms. Toss with salt and pepper, to taste. Use a spoon and fill the tenderloin cavity. Lay rosemary sprigs across the top and tie with kitchen twine.

Bake for 35 minutes at 375 degrees. Let stand 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with steamed or roast vegetables and a nice glass of wine. Try pairing this dish with a white Bordeaux or Sauvignon Blanc and if you are a red wine drinker, go with a Pino Noir.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Braised Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes, Red Peppers, Onion, Scallions and Mushrooms

My Mom and I are still going strong with The Whole30 challenge we started on February 1st. I may have mentioned that I cook for my Mom once a week. I do all her meal planning for the week and provide a shopping list. Then I go to her house and cook it all so she can divide it into personal size portions to eat throughout the week, or to freeze for later.

Last weekend I found a recipe for a Paleo Chicken Casserole and completely reconstructed it. It was so much fun and the end result was beautiful! Cooking is something I take seriously but it is also fun and energizing. It gives me an opportunity to utilize my creativity and to come up with new ideas on a regular basis. I love cooking for other people more than anything! When people eat something I've made and they say, "Oh my goodness, that is so good!", it is one of the best compliment I could ever receive.

 Braised Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes, Red Peppers, Onion, Scallions and Mushrooms

Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 roasting chicken, innards removed (freeze them for chicken stock!!!)
1 small box cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 small bunch scallions, diced
1 package dried mushrooms - we used a mixture

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a large kitchen knife, divide the chicken into portions. Separate the legs, thighs and breasts. Leave the bones and skin intact. Meanwhile, place dried mushrooms in a bowl with water. Let stand at least 15 minutes to soften. Remove mushrooms from bowl once they are soft, dice mushrooms and reserve the liquid.

Season chicken pieces with your favorite seasoning. Place in a large baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. You do not want to cook the chicken all the way through. Transfer partially cooked chicken to a large casserole dish with a lid. Top chicken with cherry tomatoes.

In a medium skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add peppers, onion, scallions and mushrooms to the pan. Saute until onions are soft and golden brown and peppers begin to spot. Pour saute mixutre over the chicken and tomatoes. Bake in preheated oven for 50-70 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature must be 165).

Serve with a nice green salad and mashed sweet potatoes or roasted squash.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Frittata with Italian Sausage, Spinach, Peppers, Mushrooms and Onion

I've started cooking for my mom on the weekends and this passed Monday, we made amazing food! I will be posting 3 recipes in the next few days. I'm going to start with a simple Frittata recipe we made. It is so freaking easy to make, not to mention very healthy and delicious!

Frittata with Italian Sausage, Spinach, Peppers, Mushrooms and Onion

Yields: 1 large frittata

Ingredients:

10-12 large, organic, free-range eggs
300g Italian Sausage
1 package frozen spinach (or use 1 large bunch fresh and steam it)
2 bell peppers of your choice (green, red, yellow, orange), diced
1 small onion, diced
1 small package mushrooms (crimini, white, portobella, etc), diced
Olive or coconut oil


Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9x13" pan with coconut or olive oil. In a large mixing bowl, toss spinach with kosher salt and pepper, set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add sausage and saute until well browned and meat is cooked through. Drain fat from the skillet. Add cooked sausage to the spinach, mix to incorporate.

In the same skillet, heat oil until hot. Add peppers, mushrooms and onion. Saute until vegetables are soft and mushrooms have soaked up their liquid. Add sauteed vegetables to the sausage-spinach mixture. Mixwell and spread evenly into prepared baking pan.

In a separate mixing bowl, crack eggs and whisk well. Pour over frittata mixture in the baking pan. You may need to stir it around to make sure an even layer of eggs coat the ingredients.

Bake at 425 degrees for 40-50 minutes, until eggs are set in the centre. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

*I like to cut my frittata into 6 portions and use it throughout the week for lunches and quick dinners. 10-12 eggs may sound like a lot, but when you split up the portions, it's a perfect amount!
*Check out the website: www.thewhole9life.com for more details about the Whole30!

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Spiced Chicken and Green Salad

Man, oh man do I love chicken in a salad. I feel like a salad isn't complete without a nice, juicy chicken breast.

On most nights I will make my favorite go-to salad. I like to cram as many fresh vegetables* as I can into my salad and my all time favorite dressing is one of the simplest to make; Balsamic and Olive oil vinaigrette.

*Always try to buy local organic produce. You lower your chances of eating GMO produce, lower your intake of pesticides and save money, while supporting your local grocers instead of big corporate companies... How could you go wrong?

Spiced Chicken and Green Salad

Yields: 8-10 cups

Ingredients:

(As pictured below)

2-3 chicken breast fillets
8 C fresh salad greens: spinach, radicchio, red and green butter lettuce, arugula, endive, etc)
1/2 red onion, sliced very thin
2 C fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 bunch fresh Parsley
2 T pine nuts

1/4 C Balsamic vinegar
1/2 C Olive oil
1/4 t ground mustard

Directions:

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, drizzle with olive oil.

Season both sides of chicken with a blend of: black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Or use your favorite poultry seasoning.

When oil is hot, place chicken fillets in the pan. Let stand 3 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook another 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan, let stand under tinfoil. Slice into strips when ready to serve.

In a small jar with a lid, mix together balsamic vinegar, olive oil and ground mustard. Close jar and shake well.

In a large salad bowl, toss salad greens, sliced red onions and parsley with balsamic vinaigrette. Mix well and serve plates with dressed salad. Top with sliced strawberries, pine nuts and the chicken breast.

*add any mix of your favorite vegetables and/or fruit. I really enjoy switching it up with any of the following: cucumber, any sweet pepper, shredded carrots, sugar snap peas, raspberries, blackberries, grapes, etc.

Enjoy and Bon Apetit!

Classic Roast Chicken with Fresh Herbs, Garlic and Lemon

I am on day 6 of the Whole 30, which I talked about briefly in my previous post. If you would like to know more about it, check out their website, thewhole9life.com! It might sound like you have very limited options when all you are allowed to eat is meat, vegetables, fruit and nuts & seeds, but there are tons of amazing recipes that are easy to make and are totally delicious.

Last night I made a Roast Chicken. I love chicken, I really do and it is really easy to make a whole chicken, trust me! Do you know how many recipes you can create out of one roasting chicken? Lots and lots! Never, ever throw out your chicken carcass, you need it for homemade chicken stock, which can then be used for soups, stews, and lots of other delicious meals.

Try this recipe for Roast Chicken!

Classic Roast Chicken with Fresh Herbs, Garlic and Lemon

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 3lb roasting chicken
1 large lemon, sliced
1 T olive oil
1 bunch fresh Herbs de Provence (I used Sage, Thyme and Rosemary to keep it simple)
8 cloves garlic
1 large onion, quartered
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
3 stalks celery, roughly chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Don't bother peeling the carrots, onion or garlic - only use 4 cloves. Place them in the roasting pan.

Chop up your fresh herbs and mix together in a small bowl with 1 T olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Set aside.

Wash your chicken and then pat dry with paper towel. Remove the neck and giblets, freeze for later (you need these for the stock! If your chicken has these removed already, that's OK). Season the inside and outside of your chicken with Kosher salt and black pepper. Place 4 cloves of garlic, all of the lemon slices and about 1/4 of the herb mixture inside the cavity.

Tie the legs together and place the wings underneath the body. Rub the chicken with olive oil and lemon juice, then rub the remaining herb mixture all over the chicken. Place chicken on top of vegetables in roasting pan.

Place roasting pan in the oven, turn oven down to 425 degrees. Roast chicken until an instant read thermometer shows a temperature of 160 degrees (or pull the leg away from the body, if the juice runs clear, it's ready. If the meat and juice is pink, it's not ready). Check your chicken half way through cooking time, if it looks too dark on top, tent lightly with foil and resume cooking.

Remove chicken from oven, let stand on a cutting board under tented tin foil for 5-10 minutes, the chicken will continue to cook as it rests, bringing the internal temperature to 165 degrees.

Carve and serve your chicken with roast vegetables and a nice green salad. Don't forget to keep the carcass for your amazing chicken stock! ;)

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

(The Whole30) "Spaghetti" with Tomato-Meat Sauce

My Mom introduced me to a book titled: It Starts With Food by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig (you can purchase an electronic version of this book on your e-reader). I haven't gotten very far into the book yet, but it "outlines a clear, balanced, sustainable plan to change the way you eat forever". Based on the building blocks of the Paleolithic diet, this book highlights the importance of eating "whole/natural" foods, such as grass-fed pasture raised meat, eggs, fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. It excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, white potatoes, refined salt, refined sugar and processed oils.

This is not an "extreme" diet or a "drop weight fast" scheme. This is about cleansing yourself of the foods that can harm your body and changing your relationship with food for the rest of your life. If you want to know more about this book and The Whole 30, check out their website Whole9Life.com. Some of the testimonials are amazing!!

I've been working the program since February 1, 2013. It is only day 5 and I feel wonderful. I haven't actually had a very difficult time sticking to the "rules" so far, but I'm not expecting it to be easy. I have been craving dairy products more than any other food group excluded in the program... but I'm staying strong!

Last night I made my go-to recipe for Spaghetti sauce, but I used Spaghetti Squash instead of pasta. It was delicious and I actually think I prefer the squash to pasta since it has a bit of a crunch, which adds a nice texture to the meal.

"Spaghetti" with Tomato-Meat Sauce

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash, cut lengthwise and seeds removed

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 213ml can tomato puree
2 T tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 1/2 t black pepper
2 t garlic powder
2 t onion powder
1/4 t ground sage
2 t Italian seasoning (or use a mixture of oregano, thyme, basil, etc)
2 bay leaves
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1lb extra lean ground beef

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add all the spices together in a small jar, set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break up into bits, brown the meat until it is cooked through. Drain fat from pan. Add green pepper, garlic and onion to the ground beef. Saute until vegetables are soft and onions are golden brown. Add half the spice mixture to the skillet, stir for 2 minutes.

Add crushed tomato, tomato puree and tomato paste to the skillet. Lower heat to medium-low and bring to a boil. Add remaining spice mixture and stir well to combine. You may want to add 1/3 to 1/2 C water to the sauce . Lower heat to low and let sauce simmer. The longer it sits, the better the flavor! Continue to stir periodically (and taste!!!) while you bake the spaghetti squash.

Place spaghetti squash halves into a baking dish, flesh side down. Pour enough water into the dish to come up 1" on the sides of the squash. Bake 40-60 minutes depending on the size of the squash. Remove from oven when rind is soft and insides shred easily with a fork.

Serve the hot tomato sauce over a steaming plate of spaghetti squash. Top with fresh cracked pepper, red pepper flakes, or your favorite brand of hot sauce!

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Mongolian Beef

I really love stir frys. There are so many variations you can create with a stir fry. Choose your protein, maybe you want it to be vegetarian, maybe you want certain flavors, maybe you prefer rice or chow mein noodles. The one thing that you can count on when making a stir fry is that it is EASY! This recipe for Mongolian Beef is no exception. It's beautifully flavored with ginger, garlic and scallions, accompanied by a sweet, thick sauce that is perfect over steamed broccoli, rice or noodles.

You must try this recipe soon!

Mongolian Beef

Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients:

1lb flank steak
1/2 t fresh ginger, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C low sodium soy sauce
1/2 C water
2/3 C brown sugar
1/4 C cornstarch
2-3 scallions, sliced into pieces
Vegetable or olive oil

Directions:

Slice steak against the grain into 1/4 inch pieces. Toss with cornstarch. Place coated pieces of steak in a sieve and shake off excess cornstarch. Allow steak to sit for 10 minutes.

Heat 2 t oil in a small sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute until golden, 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and water, stirring to combine.

Stir in the brown sugar and increase heat to medium. Bring sauce to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove pot from heat and set aside.

Place a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat and add 4 T oil. When oil is hot, add beef to the pan and saute 2 minutes until it is seared on all sides - you do not want beef to be cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Discard remaining oil.

Place saute pan back over medium heat. Add prepared sauce to the pan and bring to a boil. Add reserved steak and cook at a simmer for 2 minutes. Add sliced scallions, stir to combine.

Serve hot over cooked rice or chow mein noodles, with steamed broccoli or your favorite medley of veggies!

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!