Pork Tenderloin Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
PIN IT!Can you believe Christmas is, um, tomorrow? Well, okay, not tomorrow, but it’s coming up SUPER FAST AND I’M GOING TO FREAK.
I love Christmas more than the average person. I actually have all of my presents purchased and they are either on my dining room table or in transit to my house. I’m actually on time with all of my holiday assignments and I’m feeling more inspired in the kitchen than usual. To be honest, it’s a very strange feeling. Last year, I was up to my eyeballs in stress and know I had more than 2 mental breakdowns. The year before that? I was working until Christmas day from 8 – 8 making, shooting and eating 15000 Christmas cookies.
So the reason I’m freaking isn’t for normal reasons, it’s because things are going SO SMOOTHLY I’m worried something is going to go crazy. I’m freaked in anticipation of something freaking crazy happening. The sad thing is I know how crazy that sounds. But it’s the holidays, we’re all a little crazy, nuts and wonky right? Please say yes so I don’t feel like the only nut-job here.
You all said yes right? OKAY! Let’s talk for just a moment about this pork tenderloin salad with pomegranate dressing. Pomegranates are my absolute favorite fruit. They really are. Sweet, tart and filled with luscious juice, these stunning fruits are jam packed with more flavor, texture and contrast than any other. Plus, they’re kind of a pain in the ass to use. And that’s awesome. I’m a bit of a pain in the ass so I’m a kindred spirit with the ol’ pomegranate. And it’s just gorgeous.
Not only did I top this pretty little salad (made with BRUSSEL SPROUTS INSTEAD OF LETTUCE) with poms, I made a dressing out of them too! Sweet, tart, crunchy, amazing perfection. This salad will put just about anyone into the happy holiday mood. Oh, and it’s healthy. So take that Christmas cookies.
Pork Tenderloin Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!
Serves about 4.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: About 1 hour
Ingredients:
For the pork:
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the salad:
- 4 cups shaved brussel sprouts
- 1 cup chopped apples (I cooked mine, but you can use raw)
- 2/3 – 3/4 cup pomegranate arils
- About 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
- Fresh parmesan for garnish
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- About 1/2 -1 teaspoon honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a standard roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix the spices together and rub liberally over the pork tenderloin. Place the pork in the skillet and cook until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the meat to the prepared roasting pan.
- To make the dressing, place the arils, mustard, honey, olive oil, salt, pepper and vinegar. Pulse until blended in a high powered blender. I love my Blendtec!
- Roast for about 15 minutes or until the pork registers 150 degrees in the middle. Transfer pork to a plate and let rest for about 10 minutes. Then slice into 1/4 inch thickness.
- In a large bowl, mix the brussel sprouts, apples and pistachios together. Sprinkle in the arils and carefully mix.
- Transfer the salad to 4 large bowls. Top each salad with a few slices of pork (about 4 ounces) and cheese. Drizzle with dressing (about 1 – 2 tablespoons per salad).
Nutritional information per salad:
Calories: 424
Fat: 18 grams
Carbohydrates: 27.5 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Protein: 29 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 10
5 Easy One Skillet Dinners & a Le Creuset & Dreamfarm Giveaway
Tis the season for a giveaway, fa la la la la la la la la la! (So many la las). I definitely had to sing that song out loud to made sure I had it right. I’m seriously in the most festive mood this week. Maybe it’s because we had REAL snow yesterday for a few hours, or our glistening tree in the corner of our cozy town home or all of the holiday themed desserts I’m making, I just can’t get enough of Christmas! Which could be why I’m playing Santa today with the world’s best giveaway, thanks to Le Creuset and Dreamfarm! But before we get to those deets, I’m going to share 5 of my FAVORITE one skillet dinner recipes.
The holidays are crazy, and I know people have little to no time to do anything but shop, bake or attend parties. I know, rough life right? But it’s hard to stay healthy and eat healthy meals when you’re tempted with cookies and have no time to cook. So, to make your holiday healthy eating just a wee bit easier, I’m sharing some of my go-to skillet dinners. One skillet, easy clean up and even easier dinner.
This one skillet polenta bake is one of my favorite dinners when I’m slammed. It’s super easy to make with pre-baked polenta and can be done in less than 30 minutes. Plus it’s filled with tons of healthy proteins and veggies, so you’re full all night!
I honestly can’t believe I haven’t made this creamy one skillet pumpkin lasagna in almost a year! It’s so incredibly decadent but still surprisingly low-fat, low-cal and low in weight watchers points. I love it because it adds a warm autumn flair to my normal lasagna!
This skillet chicken enchilada casserole is my husband’s favorite. Hands down. He asks for it on the daily. And I don’t blame it! It’s filled with tons of zesty flavors, rich plump tomatoes and chunks of chicken!
This is another favorite of mine because it’s totally nostalgic. This one skillet tuna noodle casserole takes a dish I loved growing up and makes it a little easier and a little lighter too. Instead of heavy cream, I added in light cream for a lighter and still indulgent meal.
This one couldn’t be easier, I promise. This skillet alfredo ravioli uses frozen ravioli and can be made in less than 20 minutes. I mean, what’s more perfect on a crazy busy December night?
Now, the fun part! In addition to giving you healthier one pan meals to make this holiday season, I’m also giving you the chance to win one GORGEOUS skillet to cook them in too! Thanks to Le Creuset, one of you will be owners of this gorgeous stainless steel skillet, valued at $115.
And to make cooking with this gorgeous skillet a breeze, I’m also throwing in a Dreamfarm bundle, with 5 amazing kitchen gadgets and utensils to make cooking fun and easy, valued at $90!
Want to win these gorgeous things for easy holiday cooking? Of course you do! Simply fill out the prompts below!
BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN!!!
*Giveaway is only open to US Residents. The contents of this giveaway are sponsored by Le Creuset and Dreamfarm, but all opinions and recipes are my own. Giveaway will go from December 11 – December 20th and will end promptly at midnight. Good luck!
Challah French Toast
I didn’t try a fresh slice of challah bread until the first Thanksgiving my husband and I spent together. You see, he was raised Jewish, so he grew up eating loaves of it. As soon as I took my first bite of the fluffy, eggy bread, my life was changed.
Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but I totally fell in love with it. If you’ve never had it, challah bread is incredibly soft with a gorgeous glazed crust. If you’re looking for a homemade recipe, my friend Half Baked Harvest just made a loaf and it looks divine! If you don’t have the time or resources to make your own, ask your grocery store’s bakery section for a loaf of challah. Trust me, it’ll be the best bread you’ve ever had.
A few days after Thanksgiving at my in-laws house, I saw a very sad, lonely looking loaf of challah bread. It was a little stale and was probably going to be tossed. Knowing how amazing this bread is, I quickly thought of ways to use it so it doesn’t go to waste. And thanks to the interwebs, I found challah french toast.
And I can’t even believe I’m saying this, but challah french toast > regular french toast any day of the week. I mean, just look at this stack of fluffy, gorgeous french toast. I’m not even one bit ashamed that I ate 4 pieces. Not even a smidge. If you’re looking for a beautiful, simple and crowd-pleasing brunch for Christmas morning, this is your toast.
Or if you simply can’t wait for Christmas (I mean, who can?) whip up a batch today to add some oomph to your regular Tuesday morning. and if your Tuesdays are like mine, they could always use a bit of oomph.
Challah French Toast
Serves about 6.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: >10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 12 slices of stale challah bread
- 1 cup low-fat milk (we used 1%)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Dash of cinnamon
- Fresh berries for garnish
- Whipped cream
Directions:
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, flour, honey, vanilla and cinnamon until combined. Soak a slice of challah in the dip for at least 60 seconds to absorb the filling. Then carefully move to the warmed skillet.
- Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes on each. Repeat until all of your challah bread has been cooked.
- Serve with fresh whipped cream and berries.
Nutritional information per serving (2 slices with 2 tablespoons berries and whipped cream):
Calories: 380
Fat: 10 grams
Carbohydrates: 44 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Protein: 13 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 8
Boozy Salted Caramel Apple Cider #CaptainsTable
I had these high hopes of having this posted yesterday so I could have some witty little commentary on how the Monday after a crazy holiday weekend totally deserves a delicious boozy cocktail.
And then Monday slapped me so hard in the face I nearly fell backwards. Woke up, had 8 recipes to make, shoot and write and then had to buzz out to the airport for my 5:30 flight to Copenhagen. In all honestly though, Monday TOTALLY needed this boozy salted caramel apple cider.
Like, I would have guzzled this down faster than a fat kid eats an ice cream cone. I mean seriously. It’s only 10:14 am home, but here in Sweden, it’s 4:14 pm and let’s just say I’ve been awake more hours than I’ve been asleep in the past 2 days. I’ve never been more excited to put this head to a pillow in my LIFE.
Like my rum soaked turkey, this salted caramel cider was a concoction I made for Captain Morgan’s #captianstable. They asked us to create a boozy drink for Thanksgiving, and my mind immediately went to cider. But not just any ol’ cider, one with a salty, sweeter twist. Hence the massively salted rim and the gooey caramel dripping ALL OVER THE PLACE.
You know the funniest part? I didn’t even do that on purpose. I had no intentions of making the “staged, messy” drink photo, and then my dog barked, the spoon fell and the rest is history. I actually love how it turned out, both drinkably (that’s a word) and in photos.
I should probably take a nap, no?
Boozy Salted Caramel Apple Cider
Serves about 6.
Prep time: >15 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
- 12 small-medium apples
- 1 orange
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon cloves
- 1/2 cup caramel
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup Captain Morgans Spiced Rum
- Sea salt
- Whipped cream*
*optional
Directions:
- Slice the apples and the orange into quarters. Place in the basin of a large crock pot. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and caramel. Fill the pot with water (to just below the rim of the crock pot). Cover and set the crock pot to low. Cook for about 2 – 3 hours, or until apples are completely soft.
- Using a potato masher, mash the fruit. Then carefully pour over a wire mesh strainer to get the chunks so you’re left with liquid. Pour back into the crock pot and stir in rum.
- Dip your mugs in caramel and coat with sea salt. Pour into salted rim mugs and enjoy!
Nutritional information per cup:
Calories: 227
Fat: 1.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 40 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Protein: 0.7 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 5
Claire
Tags:apple cider recipes, boozy recipes, caramel apple recipes, fall cocktails
Rum Glazed Turkey
Oh my god Thanksgiving is 2 days away. The funny thing about this is I’ve already tackled 2 (12 pound) birds this month. Which means I’m about up to my eyeballs in turkey. That doesn’t mean I won’t entertain the idea of enjoying some more turkey come Thursday, but it’s not on my craving list.
However, I’ll be honest, if I wasn’t a food writer or a blogger, I’d be sweating bullets with excitement over eating turkey. And if I was to host my own dinner, you better believe I’d be googling recipes up until 3am on Thursday trying to find the best one. Which, I’m sure, is what many of you guys are doing right now! Which is why I’m thrilled to share one of my favorite big-bird recipes, one glazed in a sweet and savory rum sauce!
Now, I’d add rum to just about anything if I could, but the reason behind this is simple. I’m working with Captain Morgan (like I did last year) on a little recipe contest! I was drawn to this challenge for a few reasons. One, Hugh Acheson is judging and OMG I freakin’ love him. And two is that Captain Morgan will donate $1 to WhyHunger every time the hashtag #CaptainsTable is used across social media properties this holiday season. I love having the chance to be apart of such an incredible campaign.
Now, our actual challenge is to create a recipe and a cocktail with Captain Morgan rum for the major holidays and events this season! I decided to go all in this challenge and make a turkey. Go big or go home, right?
I was a little worried with how this was going to turn out. I made a bourbon turkey last year and the skin never really browned because of the liquor. It had more burnt splotches and no golden color you crave in a turkey. To avoid that, I saved the rum glaze for after it was done and BOY was that smart. Not only did the bird have a beautiful golden brown color when it was done baking, but the glaze added just the right amount of sweet and spiciness.
And don’t just take my word for it. Ask my friends who came over on Sunday and helped devour it! I love my job for many reasons, but the best part is getting to share the things I make with the people I love. Is there anything better than that?
Rum Glazed Turkey
Serves about 6 -8. Inspired by Food Network.
Prep time: About 15 – 20 minutes
Cook time: About 3 1/2 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 (10) pound turkey
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons – 1/4 cup Captain Morgan rum
- Liberal dashes of salt and pepper
- About 4 – 6 cups your favorite stuffing (I used this herb-spiced one)
- 1 lemon, halved
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Set your oven rack to the third notch. Lightly grease a large roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the turkey, remove the giblets and neck and save for later use (or toss). Carefully, using your fingers, separate the skin of the bird from the breast. Do this carefully so you don’t puncture the skin or create any holes.
- Mix 4 tablespoons of butter with 1/2 cup of sugar.
- Using your hands, spread 4 tablespoons of butter/brown sugar mixture underneath the skin all over the turkey. (This will ensure the bird is juicy and moist). Rub the rest of the turkey with 2 more tablespoons butter and brown sugar. Liberally coat with salt and pepper.
- Stick 1/2 of the lemon into the cavity of the turkey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add stuffing until completely stuffed.
- Roast the turkey for about 3 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes or so with the juices excreted by the turkey. Once turkey reaches 155 degrees, remove from oven and let rest for at least 20 – 30 minutes.
- While turkey roasts, prepare glaze by melting the remaining butter (3 tablespoons), sugar (about 1/3 cup), cinnamon and Captain Morgan. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to low. Let simmer until mixture is thick, almost like a syrup.
- Before you carve, drizzle the rum glaze over the turkey.
Nutritional information per serving (about 4 ounces with 1/4 cup stuffing):
Calories: 400
Fat: 14 grams
Carbohydrates: 32 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Protein: 33 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 10
