“What the F is for dinner?” (recipe included)
I’m currently in a private FB group called “What the F*&* is for dinner?” Sounds harsh, I know. My friend started the group. I could write a blog post JUST about her —because I think she’s my alter ago or because she’s hilarious and unbelievably honest! Love her.
Anyway, this FB group is a great crew of people. The group started out for fun when everyone would be stumped on dinner ideas. But it’s been pretty helpful for many of us. Lots of shared recipes, cooking techniques, tricks of the trade, and given this crowd— it lends to lots of mischievous behavior, which makes me laugh :)
Coming up with meal ideas can be a lot of work. I know because I do it every week. But it can also save you time if you have a plan and know what your cooking. I will do a post on meal organization/planning, but that’s for another day.
Tonight I wanted to share our dinner because it was simple, easy, AND HEALTHY. Pasture-raised pork from GoodEggs marinated in a citrus and herb sauce and grilled (recipe below — tweaked from the original). Sides include roasted yellow cauliflower with salt/pepper, olive oil, and sprinkled raw parmesan cheese, along with a mixed green salad with organic strawberries, pine nuts, a sprinkle of hemp seeds with a raspberry vinaigrette (a recipe I made up — below). Super easy. Super good. Super healthy.
This dinner (the pork) will also be part of Zane’s lunch tomorrow. He loved it so much and specifically requested it. Feel free to add your kid’s favorite dipping sauce if required. Also, you can use the leftovers for a second meal of the week along with a different vegetable or side of brown rice. I typically make enough of a meal, specifically the protein, to be a leftover so I’m not cooking every day.
A little note for those concerned with sugar in the meal:
This recipe, along with the salad toppings and dressing has some (natural) sugars than a typical meal I prepare. It’s not often I cook with orange juice, strawberries, and jam in the same meal. However, it’s in moderation and the meal flowed well. My ingredients were organic, all-natural and overall low in sugar.
On to the recipe…
Citrus Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
-Zest of 1 orange (I used a clementine since I didn’t have an orange!)
-1/2 cup fresh orange juice
-2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
-¼ cup olive oil
-1 Tbs. minced garlic
-1½ tsp-2tsp. herbs de provence
-1 Tbs. salt
-¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 pork tenderloins, each 1 to 1¼ lb.
In a bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, herbs, salt and black pepper. Pour the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins, seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Remove the pork from the marinade and discard the marinade. Preheat the grill on high until it’s super hot…makes for great grill marks and holds in the juices. Turn the grill to medium and cook each side for 5 minutes. Then change the grill to low and cook for 5–8 minutes more per side or to required doneness. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
Roasted Cauliflower
-1 head of organic yellow cauliflower (purple or orange is great too!)
-Olive oil
-Salt/Pepper
-1/4 cup or less of grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut cauliflower into small/medium size florets. Drizzle olive oil, s/p and parmesan cheese and toss to coat all florets with tongs. Cook in oven for 20–25 minutes until slightly browned on top and soft.
Mixed Green Salad with strawberries, pine nuts and hemp seeds
-Mixed Greens
-2–4 organic Strawberries cut into slices
-1 teaspoon of pine nuts
-a sprinkle of hemp seeds
Dressing
-3 Tablespoons of olive oil
-1 tablespoon of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
-1 teaspoon of organic raspberry jam
-Salt/Pepper
Whisk well and taste. If the ACV is too much, then add a bit more olive oil. Drizzle over salad.