A Perfect Pork Tenderloin Roast from a Classic Cookbook!

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My passion for cooking began in 1978, when a beautiful woman in St. Louis, Missouri introduced me to Bon Appetit magazine and The Good Cook, a cookbook mail-order club.  From this cookbook club, I ordered my very first cookbook!   My collection of cookbooks grew to nearly 500 books since then, many of which I have given away as gifts to my adult kids to start their own collections.

Considered a true classic today in the culinary literature, I chose The New York Times Cook Book, written by the late Craig Claiborne in 1961!   Today in original form with dust cover this cookbook sells for around $70.00 as a collectible.  At the time that I bought it in 1978, I had no idea that it would someday be considered so important in the culinary world.  

This cookbook is the source for this incredibly savory, and delicious roast pork tenderloin.  If you have this book in your collection and/or library, you can find the recipe on page 132.  The pork sizzles in a lemony, olive oil, garlic and herbal sauce that blends wonderfully into the pork while roasting!  I've never made a better pork roast and I don't think that I ever will.  This recipe is extremely easy to prepare and it is quite simply . . . perfect in taste!

Roast Pork Tenderloin 

(slightly adapted from The New York Times Cookbook, Craig Claiborne, 1961)

Ingredients:

1 4-lb pork tenderloin

(Double or triple the following, I do this every time so that there is an Au Jus to drizzle on top of each guest's entree!  If you use the amounts below, there is hardly any juice left in the pan to pass around)

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp. thyme (not in powdered form)

2 cloves garlic, minced through a garlic press (rather than one clove indicated in the recipe)

I ALSO generously sprinkle all sides of the tenderloin with:

Accent

Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning

Nature's Seasoning

I add a combination of the previous 3 seasonings on all meat and fish entrees that I cook.

Procedure:

Puncture the tenderloin with large, gaping holes/gashes on all four sides (for the sauce to penetrate into the meat and not just glaze it on the surface).

Generously sprinkle the tenderloin with the 3 commercial seasonings above (Accent, Mrs. Dash, and Nature's Seasoning).

Blend the olive oil, lemon juice, thyme and garlic together in a small bowl (again don't forget to double or triple the ingredients).

Pour the sauce over the entire seasoned pork tenderloin, with fatty side facing up in a baking pan.

Bake, uncovered, and roast for 2 to 2-1/2 hours at 350 degrees or 45 minutes per pound or 185 internal degrees on a meat thermometer.

Enjoy this delight pork roast!

Served with my mother's classic garlic and rosemary roast potatoes!

My Mother's Rosemary and Garlic Roast Potatoes

Idaho Russet Potatoes (Here she used 8 small potatoes), cut into 1" wedges.

Olive oil

Freshly cut rosemary, removed from the stem and chopped

Freshly minced garlic cloves, about 4 large.

Toss the potatoes in the olive oil.

Sprinkle the rosemary and garlic all over the potatoes.

Toss well.

Place in a glass baking pan in a 375 degree oven and roast for 45 minutes to one hour until golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork.

The roast, juice, potatoes, and a croissant perfectly plated and smelling so incredible!

A close-up shot to show off the beautiful bronze glaze of the sauce with the herbs and spices all over!

One last close up of Mom's Roast Potatoes with the olive oil, rosemary, and garlic finish!

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Seasonal Saturday AND Fresh, Clean, and Pure Friday

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Here's another round of Seasonal Saturday that is extended for one week from Fresh, Clean, and Pure Friday where any blogger can share a post related to any thing that is in "season" (which is currently winter in the U.S. and Northern hemisphere) or any way that she/he has freshened up their lives! (all solicitation posts to sell stuff, to promote giveaways, or to just display coupons, etc. will be deleted ~ ~ it sounds mean, but it keeps this get-together focused on the theme).

click on "Read More" beneath my signature below to view all of the shared posts.

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Time for Thai (Chicken Salad)!

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No one needs to suffer through terribly tasteless food while losing the excess poundage on one's bod-ay on their journey towards better health, huh?  Not me anyway.   Otherwise, the whole thing ends without results, because I just cannot, simply cannot eat garbage-tasting, bland food for even a second, let alone a prolonged period of time in order to lose excess fat on these old bones of mine.

Anytime I hear the word "Thai" I know, without a shadow of a culinary doubt, that there will be a circus of flavors going on in the recipe.  I also know, with solid conviction, that a Thai dish will be very healthy for me.  Just think about it for a moment:   there are just not that many overweight Thai people on this planet, and yet they are a people/a culture whose lives are centered around incredible food . . . just like Italians.  So here I go . . . off to Thailand for some beautiful food inspiration, a distant cry from Italian cuisine, but oh so delicious, healthy, and good for us!  I'm lovin' this Thai Chicken Salad (often called "Laab" or "Larb") and will pack whatever is left over for my lunch tomorrow at the office!  Your taste buds will surely sing "Wow" too!

The fresh lime, pungent ginger, sharp cilantro, spicy, garlic-y Thai seasoning are blended with the mild, buttery nuttiness of cashews and the sweetness of natural honey to balance those powerful playing ingredients!  Like all Thai recipes, it's all about a balance of contrasts and this recipe has it all.  Even my mother, who has never eaten a morsel of Thai food in her 83-years of life, enjoyed this flavorful salad.  I hope you try it!

PS:  Stay healthy and stay full of love!
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Thai Chicken Salad (a somewhat lighter version of "Laab"/"Larb")

For the dressing:
(Double the following ingredients)

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 tsp. freshly minced ginger
1 tsp. honey (preferably locally-produced)
1/4 tsp. Thai chili garlic sauce, increase to taste preference
1/8 tsp. salt (preferably sea salt)
1-1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:

1/3 pound extra-lean freshly ground chicken breasts
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup red onion slivers
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped mint leaves
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro leaves
4 Tbsp chopped cashews

In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, ginger, honey, chili garlic sauce and salt.  Whisk, gradually adding the oil, until well blended.
Lightly coat a small non-stick frying pan with cooking spray.
Add chopped chicken to the pan, cook, breaking up into small chunks, for about 5 minutes, or until no longer pink.
Remove cooked chicken from the heat.  Stir in 1-1/2 Tbsp. of the dressing.
In a large serving bowl, combine the lettuce, carrots, onions, mint and cilantro.
Add the remaining dressing and toss until well blended.
Top with the cooked chicken, blend.
Plate the salads.
Sprinkle each salad with the chopped cashew nuts.

** NOTE:  I recommend making even more dressing than the doubled recipe above in order to pass around to your family and/or guests to use more if desired.

Enjoy!
(333 wonderfully, flavorful and LOW calories!)
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The brilliant, vivid colors of this salad in the middle of this cold, dreary winter, just make me so happy!!

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Blood Orange Vinaigrette on Grilled Salmon, Grapefruit & Manchego Cheese Salad

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Never give up . . . never, ever give up!  Those famous words of Winston Churchill!  Keeping that sentiment on the forefront of my mind, I've stayed motivated to reach my health goals.  The official date that marks when most people end their efforts to meet their goals (whether to lose weight, quit smoking, pray more, meditate, etc.) has come and gone.  But I'm still on this bus ride, so I continue to peruse more healthier and lower calorie recipes to try and then share with you.


Here is a nice recipe for a lighter salad for a filling meal.  I used salmon filets that we had left over from the weekend.  All of the other ingredients were on hand as well.  I've been so intrigued by blood oranges lately and the nice thing is that they are available in some markets right now.   Luckily, this recipe jumped from the pages of my Cooking Light cookbook.  It is quite easy to make and packed with Vitamin C.  Although the vinaigrette is a bit on the sweet side for my tastes, it was simple to add more Dijon mustard for a more savory blend in flavor.  If this vinaigrette isn't appealing to you, then you can always use your own favorite.
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Grilled Salmon and Grapefruit Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette & Manchego Cheese
(very adapted from Cooking Light)
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2 (6-ounce) salmon filets
Lemon pepper seasoning (my addition)
Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning (my addition)
Nature's Seasons (my addition)
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2" slices and chopped
Cooking spray
8 cups mixed baby salad greens, or baby spinach, or combination of both
1 red grapefruit, halved, sectioned, and removed from skin, drained.
Manchego Cheese slivers (my addition)
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Prepare grill, pan, or heat oven to 350 degrees.
Season salmon filets.
Coat grill, pan or baking pan with cooking spray.
Grill, cook or bake fish until flakey when tested with a fork.
The onions can also be grilled, cooked, or baked with the salmon.
Place salad greens on 4 salad plates.
Arrange 2 ounces of salmon, the onions, grapefruit sections, and Manchego cheese evenly over the greens on each plate.
Drizzle Blood Orange Vinaigrette evenly over each salad.
(350 calories per serving, including vinaigrette)




Blood Orange Vinaigrette


1/3 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
2 Tbsp. minced shallots/green onions
2 Tbsp. honey (locally harvested, if possible)
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tsp. Dijon mustard (I increased from 1 tsp.)
1/8 tsp. salt (preferably sea salt)
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
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Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; stirring well with a whisk.
(75 calories in 3 Tbsp.)
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The ingredients for the vinaigrette.  Look how RED the blood orange juice is on the upper right!  Wow! 

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The vitamin C-loaded vinaigrette once blended well.

Truly this was an unusual salad, with a slightly sweet, citrusy vinaigrette that was quite light and fresh.  I'm glad that I tried it!  
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Seasonal Saturday AND Fresh, Clean, and Pure Friday

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Saturday! Such a great day! If you've got something that you'd like to share that epitomizes this winter season, Super Bowl or Valentine's Day prepartion than go ahead and link them up here. This link-up is a continuation of Fresh, Clean, and Pure Friday where any blogger that has a post related to any way that you have freshened up your life! (all solicitation posts to sell stuff, to promote giveaways, or to just display coupons, etc. will be deleted).

It's a brand new year, 2011. So please share any post on any way that you're starting fresh, cleaning up, or purifying your life, your cooking, your environment . . . simple as that! Your post does not have to be from this week or even recently, or have a particular date or range of time; it can be something that you want to post from even a year ago if you like.

"What exactly is considered to be "FRESH?" Here's a brief list to guide your decisions on what to post!

• a newly organized, de-cluttered place in your life
• freshly prepared food
• a fresh new look/outfit/design/decor/organization tip
• a fresh new quilt, or any new hand-made treasure
• a fresh new beauty/exercise routine
• fresh flowers
• fresh new outlook, beginning, start, idea, experience, goal
• anything harvested
• fresh, clean and pure: make-up or products you use
• anything unused and free from dirt, soil, impurities
• . . . that's just to give you an idea of what 'fresh' things or behaviors that can be included in your post.

Every THURSDAY I post the Linky list that extends into Seasonal Saturday for one week.





Please put a link and/or my button in your post so others can find this get-together (We bloggers call it "blog etiquette"). Thanks for doing so!Any post related to something NON-SEASONAL or NON-FRESH (ie: giveaways, product reviews and selling one's own stuff is deleted IMMEDIATELY!)

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Cobb Salad in a Wrap

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There aren't many people who don't like a loaded, classic Cobb Salad. The popular Cobb is one of those quintessentially American salads created at a moment's notice (sort of the same way that the classic Caeser salad was prepared in Mexico) back in the mid-1930's in California. I prefer the salad presented with each of the toppings in distinct sections on top of the bed of lettuce; whereas some folks (even the Mimi's Cafe restaurant chain) tosses all the toppings together with the lettuce.

Those famous Cobb ingredients include (all chopped) boiled eggs, avocados, tomatoes, crisply cooked bacon, red onions, blue cheese, chives, and cooked chicken which are beautifully presented on top of a variety of fresh lettuces. The only dressing that I ever consider for a Cobb Salad is blue cheese, but any dressing that you prefer can be used.

Today I prepared a lower- calorie version of the Cobb salad in the form of a turkey wrap! It was a perfect low-cal substitute and thoroughly flavorful and filling. My husband looked at it and said, "I find it hard to believe that this wrap is low-cal!" Well, it is! This wrap is going to make some encore appearances in my lunch boxes, that's for sure!

Turkey Cobb Salad Wraps
(adapted from "Fresh Food Fast")

2 cups shredded/ chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup chopped tomato (1 medium)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (I used both red and green onions)
1 Haas avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
1/4 cup cooked, chopped bacon (my addition)
3 Tbsp. blue-cheese yogurt (I was unable to locate this in 3 different stores, so I used 1 Tbsp. blue cheese dressing)
8 oz. thinly sliced smoked turkey
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 multi-grain flat breads with flax (such as 'Flatout')

Spread the blue cheese yogurt or dressing on one side of each flat bread.
Layer all the ingredients on top
Roll up the flat breads around the ingredients into individual wraps.

Makes 4 wraps that contain 301 very filling calories each. Super for lunch!

Above is a a peek inside to see the ingredients before rolling up the flat bread. The turkey slices are on the right already semi-rolled up in the wrap. The only items missing from these wraps from the original Cobb Salad are the chopped boiled eggs and chopped chives. Those can easily be added without a huge amount of extra calories.

And that wraps up this post with one last look at some creamy avocados and crisp bacon bits peeking out!

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Below is a photo that illustrates a traditional presentation of the ingredients on top of a Cobb Salad.

(photo from "LaLosh")

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Fresh Peach and Pineapple Crumble

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I have a man in my life who has been screaming for me to make a dessert.  That would be the man that I married; a rather thin guy who has been super supportive of the lower calorie, less fattening dishes that I've been making to help me reach my weight-loss goal.  He has happily been eating everything because the recipes have been so surprisingly full of flavor.

But no desserts have graced our kitchen since the holidays and he has been very patiently waiting to have something sweet to eat other than ice cream and Oreo cookies (always a good stand-by for him).

So I turned to that trusty little cookbook that I've been cooking from this month, Fresh Food Fast, by Cooking Light and found a delightfully refreshing Tropics-meets-the-South crumble.  Nothing beats fresh fruit, so I bought a fresh pineapple and thawed out some of my summer Carolina peaches that I always freeze in huge batchs every June and July.  Mmmmm . . . what a surprisingly yummy pair that pineapple and peaches make.  I never would have thought to put the two together.  This is really good, everyone . . . plus it is on the lighter side, because you don't bake the cake, you simply use the cake mix (sorry, not completely home-made) to sprinkle on the top with a little butter (use butter replacement if you like) instead.  So simple too!

I was really good too; having only about 4 bites of this, plus no ice cream or frozen yogurt either that is recommended in the recipe.  Hubby, of course, indulged in not only one, but two servings of the crumble with generous scoops of real vanilla ice cream (in other words, no low-fat ice cream for him).

For the full recipe and other photos, click on "Read More" under my signature below.


Fresh Peach Pineapple Crumble

1 cored fresh pineapple (if available, purchase one that is already cleaned and sitting in juice)
3 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
Cooking spray
1/2 cup butter, melted (1/4 was recommended, but it did not moisten the cake mix enough to create the crumble batter)
1 box of pineapple supreme cake mix (such as Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional: I left off since hubby hates nuts, but they'd be nice to add)
Low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coat an 11 x 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Drain pineapple, reserving 3 Tbsp. of the juice.
Chop pineapple to measure 3 cups.
Combine chopped pineapple and juice with peaches and pour into the baking dish.
Stir butter into the cake mix.
Spread batter over the fruit.
Generously spray the top of crumble mix with more cooking spray.
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Serve warm with frozen yogurt.

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Seasonal Saturday and Fresh, Clean and Pure Friday

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The winter season.  We certainly are experiencing it in a big way this year!  I have to be honest and say that it is my least favorite season, so I look for any way that I can to enjoy it.  I love having a warm fire to sit by at night while I read.  I enjoy creating comfort foods.  I even enjoy cleaning out my pantry, which I did during the snow storm this past week!  And finally, staying inside gives me precious time to work on the quilts that I fall behind on.

So with that said, today is Saturday, so it's time for another Seasonal Saturday get-together that continues from Fresh, Clean, and Pure Friday.  I welcome you to share any post on what or how you are doing to enjoy or even to 'get through' the winter season!

So many bloggers are posting about how they are cleaning up their lives and making commitments (and not just breakable resolutions) to their goals!  I've found and am following so many new blogs where the focus is on cleaning up nutrition, organizing and de-cluttering, 'minimalizing', cleaning up negative brain chatter, and more inspirational activities and ideas.  I could stay up all night long reading some of the great posts focused on ways that people are improving their lives!  So here we go again!  What are you doing that you'd like to share a post in which you've been cleaning or freshening up your lives?
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Fresh, Clean and Pure Friday is for any blogger that has a post related to any way that you have freshened up your life! (all solicitation posts to sell stuff, to promote giveaways, or to just display coupons, etc. will be deleted).

It's a brand new year, 2011. So please share any post on any way that you're starting fresh, cleaning up, or purifying your life, your cooking, your environment . . . simple as that!  Your post does not have to be from this week or even recently, or have a particular date or range of time; it can be something that you want to post from even a year ago if you like.

"What exactly do is "FRESH?" Here is a brief list to guide your decisions on what to post!

•  fresh scent/s
• freshly prepared food
• a fresh new look/outfit/design/decor/organization tip
• a fresh new quilt, or any new hand-made treasure
• a fresh new beauty/exercise routine
• fresh flowers
• fresh new outlook, beginning, start, idea, experience, goal
• anything harvested
• fresh, clean and pure: make-up or products you use
• anything unused and free from dirt, soil, impurities
• . . . that's just to give you an idea of what 'fresh' things or behaviors that can be included in your post

Every THURSDAY I post the Linky list that extends into Seasonal Saturday for one week. 

If you can, please put a link back to this get-together.  The badge is at the bottom of this blog, but that's not an issue if you don't paste it on your post, just a link please, is just fine.

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Roasting in the Cold Weather: Roast Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

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Although I have the most kick-butt-can-never-go-wrong-everyone-loves pork tenderloin recipe from the late Craig Claiborne's "Classic New York Times", circa 1970's somewhere-in-time cookbook, I decided to take on another roast pork tenderloin recipe from Giada de Laurentiis for the "I Heart Cooking Clubs" weekly theme.  The theme was "Roasting" and if there is one food that I love to roast, it is a pork tenderloin.  Thank Heaven, that Giada had a recipe for Roast Pork Tenderloin in her extensive repertoire!  And it was widely praised among the family tonight!
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Despite my personal preferences belief that the balsamic/roasted garlic sauce should be slightly tempered down a notch, my family raved about this.  The pork was cooked to perfection, soft and succulent, and with a dip of the pork into the sauce, it was simply divine.  My father is on a restricted soft food diet while he recovers from his health 'challenges' and he ate every bit of his slice of pork and devoured the mashed potatoes that I prepared as a side dish for this Giada entree'!
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So here's the recipe directly from the cookbook "Giada at Home":

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Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Begin with preparing the roasted garlic:

Roasted Garlic
2 full heads of garlic, cut in half
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Sea salt
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Roasted Pork Tenderloin
1 4-1/2 pound boneless pork tenderloin
Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb salt-free seasoning (I use this all the time in place of salt that is listed in recipes)

Vinaigrette
Roasted garlic (from above)
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped (this is twice the amount indicated in the recipe)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (I'd reduce this amount to 1/3 cup the next time, it was very potent)
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar (I used 2 packets of Splenda) this is necessary to take the bite out of the Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

For the Roasted Garlic
.Cut the heads of garlic in half cross-wise.
Place the garlic halves on a sheet of aluminum foil.
Drizzle them with the olive oil, and sprinkle with the salt.
Fold the foil up and around the garlic halves, making sure that the garlic stays upright.
Seal the foil into an airtight package around the garlic halves.
Roast until the garlic cloves are golden and soft, about 45 minutes (not 60 minutes as indicated or they will turn BROWN).
Keep the garlic halves in the foil and cool slightly.

For the Pork Tenderloin
Thirty minutes after the garlic has started roasting, place the pork in a medium, heavy roasting pan.
Season the tenderloin on all sides (with seasoning of choice).
Roast the pork along with the garlic until an instant-read meat thermometer reads 150 degrees (slightly warmer than what the original recipes calls for because there was still plenty of pinkish-red sections in the pork), for about 40 more minutes, 70 minutes maximum.
Remove the roasted pork tenderloin from the oven and form a tent of aluminum foil over the pork.
Let rest for 15 minutes.

For the Vinaigrette
Open the garlic packets and squeeze the the roasted garlic cloves into a blender, squeezing the base of each garlic half.
Add the parsley and balsamic vinegar.
Pulse until well blended.
Drizzle or pour the olive oil into the blender and blend well again.
Add the sugar or sugar substitute, salt, pepper, and two Tbsp. of water.
Blend until well mixed.

Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the pork tenderloin.
Slice into desired thickness of slices.
Pass around the remaining vinaigrette in a small 'gravy' type dish.

For this ultra taste filled entree, I chose to serve a more balanced, mild, freshly home-made and heavily buttered mashed potatoes, sprinkled-with-paprika side dish - - which proved to be simply PERFECT to soak up the roasted garlic-balsamic vinaigrette.  I do hope you enjoy this if you choose to prepare this someday!  A special thanks is extended to Giada, especially on behalf of my father, whom my mother and I are having so much difficulty finding 'soft' and yet delicious foods to prepare for him.  He truly did eat one whole slice of this soft and tender pork plus a full scoop of my mashed potatoes with total pleasure! And that is tremendous progress after what he's been through (health-wise) this winter!

There is nothing special about these mashed potatoes:  just prepare your favorite recipe, add some chives (fresh is best, but expensive and hard to find in January), then simply add some good butter to melt all over the potatoes, and sprinkle on some pretty red paprika - - truly that's all I do!  Just make sure that you prepare your mashed potatoes with milk and/or whipping cream and not (ugh) water for the best 'wowza' results from your guests.  This way of preparing potatoes is so nice nestled beside the roast tenderloin from which you can simply dip them into the Balsamic-Roasted Garlic Sauce or drizzle a little bit of the sauce on top of the buttered mashed potatoes.  Either way that you prefer to prepare or serve them, this is pure Italian comfort food for this oh-so-cold month of January ~ ~ no matter where you live!

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Sun~Dried Tomato Pesto Turkey Burgers With Basil Aioli and A Major Southern Snow Storm!

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You know it really is true:  if we plan ahead and go to the market/store with a list of all the ingredients that we'll need for our planned menus, we'll stick to a healthier food plan overall!  Plus, if it snows like it has been doing right here in the South (and subsequently icing up ~ which is even worse!), we don't have to venture out onto uncleared snow-covered roads.

So I followed this healthy rule last week and had all of the necessary ingredients on hand for a week's full of good stuff.  Who would have 'thunk' that this would have been the week that no one was able to drive on ice-covered roads in a state with only 20 snow plow and ice clearing trucks . . . even the National Guard was summoned in this week to help us out!  I don't know about you, but that's a big "Wow" in my book, especially being from the Midwest where roads are cleared in the middle of the night and schools are NEVER closed!

Even our Internet connection has not operated in two days; so this is truly a late recipe for "y'all".  I do apologize, but this recipe is certainly worth the wait!  It is completely outstanding!  No lie, friends!  You've got to add this to your healthy recipes file!  It is truly the best of the last three healthy recipes that I've posted BY FAR!  Once again it is from Cooking Light's "Fresh Food Fast" cookbook, with my own adaptations and additions (that made a big difference!); a resource that is shocking my family and me for the tasty, yet good-for-us recipes that are provided.  I'm just amazed!  You'll never know that this recipe is actually good for you!  And isn't that one of the goals that eating more healthfully is all about:  Enjoyment!?


Sun-Dried Turkey Burgers with Basil Aioli

1 1/4 lb. ground turkey breast
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (2 oz.) crumbled goat or feta cheese (I substituted Parmesan, cuz hubby hates feta cheese)
1/4 cup chopped and drained oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves (I substituded sun-dried tomato pesto instead)
1 Tbsp. freshly minced garlic (this was my own addition)
Cooking spray
Green leaf lettuce
White-wheat hamburger buns (such as Nature's Own)
4 tomato slices (or more)
Basil Aioli

Prepare grill.
Combine first 6 ingredients.
Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2" thick patty.
Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes on each side, or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees.
Place lettuce leaves on the bottom halves of each bun; top each with a turkey burger, and one tomato slice.
Spread 1 Tbsp. Basil Aioli on one side of each bun top.
Place one bun top on top of the other bun half and turkey burger.

Basil Aioli

1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (I used more, but that's just me)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, minced (I doubled this amount!)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

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Stay healthy, everyone!  And more importantly, stay happy and positive!

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Spa Food: Healthy Spaghetti with Salmon, Lemon and Basil

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As I continue to keep my promise to myself and my family to become healthier not only for a one-time (and very breakable) resolution, but rather for a life-long commitment, I turned to the inspiration from thin, beautiful, and kick-butt chef, Giada de Laurentiis for the "I Heart Cooking Club" for this week's "Resolutions" theme.  If you have her cookbook "Giada At Home", you may find this recipe on page 100; it is also presented on the web on one of the web-sites that feature her. 

My husband and I went out to dinner last night . . .  always a huge threat, tease, or challenge for those of us who have to watch our calories, carbs, fat, or whatever!  But I was faithful to my commitment; I mean, after all, one cannot stay at home and simply eat celery sticks!  I'm social, I love to go out, and I love seeing and chatting with friends and folks in this small little community.  I'm not a recluse, nor do I ever want to be.  So with fear and trepidation when hubby asked me to go out for dinner, I said to myself, "OK, don't sabotage everything that you've done, girl!  Stay disciplined and just order a salad and select a grilled/broiled fish for my entree, and no dessert whatsoever".

I kept my promise!  The grilled salmon was delightful, as it always is from one of our favorite eateries in town.  PLUS, I only ate 4 ounces of a huge salmon fillet, thus leaving me an already prepared, ready-to-simply-heat-up piece of salmon to add to Giada's recipe presented here.

I went to my pantry to see what I had on hand . . . oh good, I had some whole wheat and multi-grain pasta on hand; wow, I picked up some lemons, a new bottle of olive oil, some fresh baby spinach leaves, and some garlic yesterday; thankfully my brain worked this summer and I had frozen some of my garden-grown basil; and finally, YAY, I had a jar of unopened capers in the frig waiting to join the party!  PERFECT!  Everything was here to prepare Giada's recipe.

I made a few adjustments to improve this recipe though, which I've noted below for you:

For the recipe, click on "Read More" beneath my signature below.



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Seasonal Saturday is Back Too along with Fresh, Clean, and Pure Fridays!

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After taking a month off for the holidays and also to help my mother with three weeks of my father's emergency health issues, this link-up is finally BACK!  YAY!  I've have so missed reading all of your incredible posts.  So if you've been participating on this link-up before, you're familiar with the theme.  But if you're new to this link-up, here's a brief introduction and explanation for you:

Seasonal Saturday and Fresh, Clean and Pure Fridays are for any blogger that has a post related to ANYTHING FRESH or SEASONAL that you have included in your life!  It's a brand new year, 2011.  So please share any post on any way that you're starting fresh, or cleaning up, or purifying your life, your cooking, your environment . . . simple as that!

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Incredibly Good, Low Cal Pork Chops w/ Mustard Cream Sauce & Roasted Potatoes

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As promised, here is my first 'heathier' entree and side dish for 2011 that I said that I would share with you.  It is slightly adapted from one of my favorite healthy cookbooks, Fresh Food Fast by Cooking Light.  I'm a spoiled cook and diner . . . I like, I enjoy, I savour good, delicious food.  Period.  Delicious food is part of my life and always has been; it's one of the greatest parts of my Italian heritage.  So if I'm going to get healthier, the food that I put on the tip of my tongue and into my body had better be darn good!  Or it will never, ever cross my lips again.  This has always been my biggest obstacle to taking off some pounds and getting healthier.
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So my search for tasty, yummy, good recipes that are low-cal, low-fat, or even low-carb continues on.  Here's a winner.  Even my perfect cook mother raised her eyebrows in disbelief at dinner tonight.  Even my skinny, can-eat-anything husband wanted more!  That's spells a STAR in this family.  And here it is for you to try, to tweak, or even to throw out if you like (but I doubt that you'll choose the latter option)!
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One last plus:  This was prepared in less than a half hour . . . so move over Rachel Ray, this recipe is super fast and that's a big issue for a woman who works and commutes a long distance!
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Tip:  Get the potatoes in the oven and then begin preparing the pork chops in order to make this in 30 minutes.


Pork Chops with Mustard Cream Sauce

4 (4-oz) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (1" thick)
generous sprinkling of Mrs. Dash original blend (I omitted the salt and added Mrs. Dash instead)
Cooking spray (preferably olive oil-based)
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup fat-free half-and-half
1/2 to 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (we liked it more on the lighter mustard-y side)
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. butter replacement (such as "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter")
Chopped parsley for garnish

Sprinkle both sides of pork with Mrs. Dash salt-substitute.
Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat it over medium-high heat.
Add pork to the skillet, and cook for 5 minutes on EACH side or until lightly browned and done.
Transfer the pork chops to a serving plate and place in warm oven.
Add the chicken broth to the pan, scraping browned bits from the pan to loosen them.
Stir in half-and-half, mustard, lemon juice and butter replacement. Taste and tweak to your taste preferences.
Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until sauce is slightly thick.
Remove pork chops from the oven and place on plates.
Spoon sauce over pork and sprinkle with chopped parsley for garnish.


Roasted Potato Wedges

1 pound small red potatoes, quartered
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs with Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Combine potatoes and oil in a medium bowl, tossing to coat potatoes thoroughly.
Combine panko and cheese in a large zip-top bag; add potatoes and shake to coat them well.
Place potatoes on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray; discarding remaining breadcrumb mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes or until browned and crispy.
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Roasted Beet Salad with Balsamic Glaze Dressing

.A plethora of recipes are available for roasted beets as a key ingredient, many of which recipes are for delicious, flavorful salads.  The roasting procedure lends to a a more caramelized texture creating a more intensely sweet flavor.  I picked up some gorgeous, plump red beets in the market this week and decided that I simply had to roast them to bring out their sweet, intense flavor.  When roasting beets, it is best to wrap them in aluminum foil in order to prevent them from drying out during the longer roasting time.

The foundation of the salad itself was from Giada de Laurentiis in honor of the Potluck (anything goes) theme with the I Heart Cooking Club group this week . . .  but with one adjustment:  I used my own balsamic vinaigrette.

What did I think of this beet salad?  It was OK, but not as good as I thought it would be.  The dried cranberries, feta cheese, and walnuts were a superb addition and the mildness of the avocados balanced the stronger flavor of the roasted beets.  For those who enjoy more bold flavors, roasting beets is the way to go, but I prefer mine more mild from boiling them.  I think I'll stick to what I prefer in the future, but it was a nice recipe to try.


Roasted Beet Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette


Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
4 medium beets, cooked and quartered
3 cups fresh arugula or any fresh lettuce that you prefer/have on hand
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Balsamic vinaigrette

Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the beets in the pan and lightly pour olive oil over the beets, and sprinkle with salt.   Roll the beets around to thoroughly coat with the olive oil.
Cover the beets with another sheet of aluminum foil and roast for 1 to 2 hours. After 1 hour, test for thorough cooking by poking the beets with a fork about every fifteen minutes.  The beets are cooked when tender and a fork inserts easily.  Remove from the oven and cool to a warm temperature.
Once the beets are a bit cooler to the touch, peel off the skins and cut into 1 to 1-1/2" pieces.
In a medium bowl, toss the beets with the balsamic vinaigrette to coat well.
Add freshly ground sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Toss the lettuce, walnuts, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough balsamic vinaigrette to lightly coat.
Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper, and if necessary, some sugar.
Mound the salad on top of salad plates.
Arrange the beets, avocados, and feta cheese crumbles on top of  the salad. Pin It