Thai Chicken Satay Noodle Salads: Healthy + Delicious Meal Prep for the Week

If you're like me, you're busy - even more busy now that summer is here, we're back to the office after COVID, and you're meal prepping on Sundays for the week. Well, here's one you're going to love, it's healthy, it's full of freshness, and you don't have to feel guilty for how delicious it is! If you love Thai chicken satay, that light, tangy peanut sauce on chicken skewers, we're going to develop those flavors into a noodle salad with lots of veggies for crunchiness, crushed dry roasted peanuts for added crunchiness, and Ramen noodles for some carbs to keep us going! This is a MEAL for lunch, or dinner, and comes in just under 500 calories (I used MyFitnessPal to develop my recipe, and let them do the calculations for us).

Now, I won't lie - this was a lot of work today. Took an hour to make, and 15 minutes of hand-washing dishes to clean up! I'll show pictures of my overflowing sinks later! Mind you, this didn't all have to be done simultaneously, you could have sliced and diced veggies ahead of time, put them in a container - especially if you were making salads or crudites ahead of time for something else. You could grill the chicken a day ahead when you're grilling something else. It just takes a little planning, and I didn't do that today when I created this! But I had fun, and it is soooooooooo good.

I made this for myself for a week's worth of lunches, but this could easily feed 4 to 5 people for dinner, and leave them full for a bit!

Thai Chicken Satay Noodle Salads

Ingredients for the sauce/dressing

• 3/4 C     Peanut sauce 
• (I used store-bought, but you could easily make this yourself with peanut butter, light soy, and extra fish sauce)
• 2-1/2 t   pureed ginger
• 1 t         pureed lemongrass (optional)
• 1 t         Sriracha, optional (add more if you'd like)
• 3 t         Rice vinegar
• 4 t         Fish sauce (or substitute light soy sauce, perhaps half as much)
• 2 T        Lime juice (absent from photos)

Veggies I selected this time

• Ramen noodles, 3 servings
• 1 t        Better than Bouillon, Chicken
• 3 C      Water for cooking noodles
• 4 C      Romaine lettuce, chopped, rinsed, spun dry
• 3/4       Red bell pepper
• 3          Green onions, cut on a bias, the white parts, and two inches of the green parts
• 1 C      Shredded red cabbage
• 3/4 C   Shredded carrots, squeezed in a paper towel to remove moisture
• 3/4 C   Thinly sliced radishes
• 1 C      Thinly sliced snap peas, cut on a bias
• 1 C      Cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 C   Edamame (optional)
• 2 lbs    Chicken breasts or chicken tenders
• 1 C      Dry roasted peanuts, chopped, split into two 1/2 C portions

HOW TO:

1. Boil 3 C water with 1 t Better than Bouillon, Chicken flavor or other chicken base. 
2. Whisk together the following then split in two half portions:
• 3/4 C    peanut sauce
• 1-1/2 t   pureed ginger
• 1 t         pureed lemon grass
• 1 T        lime juice
• 1-1/2 t   rice vinegar
• 2 t         fish sauce (or 1 t light soy)

• 

  Dressing/sauce
  

  
  
  

3. Pour half the dressing onto the chicken to marinate for at least one hour

4. To the second half of the dressing, add and whisk:

• 1 t          pureed ginger
• 1 T        lime juice
• 1 t          rice vinegar
• 2 t          Fish sauce (or 1 t light soy)

5. Scoop out half of the the liquid; one half get set aside, one half goes into a mixing bowl.

6. Start chopping, slicing vegetables if not already done

All the veggies prepped

7. When the water is boiling, add the Ramen noodles, and cook no more than 4-5 minutes, when just done

8. Drain noodles, and add to the mixing bowl and sauce, and toss with tongs

9. When noodles have cooled, add 1/2 C cilantro, 1/2 C chopped peanuts and sliced vegetables

Cooked noodles tossed with sauce, crushed peanuts, and cilantro

I had to use my InstaPot liner to toss everything together, was the only thing big enough!

10. Grill, bake or pan sear chicken until cooked on both sides, basting with the marinade as it cooks, and making sure the marinade cooks fully.

I chose to grill for added flavor!

11. When chicken is done (time will vary depending on how you cook it), chop up!

12. Start assembling each dish, starting with chopped romaine...

Meal prep is an every week thing in my house!

13. Layer on noodles and vegetables, then chicken! I poured the rest of the dressing into a glass jar I can take with me for lunch, put in the fridge, etc.

Nutritional info! Low fat, high protein, high carbs, but good carbs!

 

Not your Nonna's pasta primavera! (Welcome, Spring!)

So, this won't be your Nonna's pasta primavera, and in fact, it probably won't seem like anything you're used to. But, I promise, you'll make this over and over again! 

Pasta Primavera (makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1lb Linguine

4 oz Pancetta

3 shrimp per person, no shells, cut into halves

1/4 C good olive oil

1/2 C Fava beans or Edamame, frozen  (Edamame are preferred by some)

2 T pesto

1 C Cream, Milk, or Almond Milk

1 C of the boiling pasta water

Fresh Veggies, all diced the same size:

1 Zucchini

1 Yellow squash

1/2 Green Pepper

1/2 Red Pepper

1/4 Onion or 3 Green Onions

1 C Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved

Process:

1. Start the water boiling with enough kosher salt to kill a horse, or at least make the water taste like the ocean. Once it's boiling, drop the pasta for 10 - 11 minutes.
1. Heat a large pot with a heavy bottom on medium-high heat, and add the olive oil and pancetta. Cook for 3 minutes.                                                                                
2. Add all the vegetables, lower the heat to medium and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. 
   
   
   
3. Add pesto and cream, and stir to blend. Cook for 2 minutes.
   
   
   
4. Add one ladle-full (1 C) of the boiling pasta water to the primavera veggies and sauce.
5. Add the shrimp, and stir. Reduce heat to low.
6. When the linguine is cooked al dente, drain.
7. Add to the pot with the primavera veggies and sauce and toss.
8.  Portion, top with freshly crumbled or grated parmesan
   

   
   
   
   
   

   
   

   
   Hello from Michael's Little Slice of the American Dream! More videos to come!
   
   
   

Blackberry - Chipotle BBQ Turkey Breasts

Alright, if you made the blackberry sauce for the blackberry lemonade, then you're half-way to the BBQ sauce we're about to make! Trust me when I say, we're about to cook something so tasty, and fork tender, and perfect for sitting outside to eat!

Perfect for sitting outside in the shade... sooooo tender!

I am still keeping with a couple recurring themes of being efficient and cooking one day for the week, and eating very healthy. First, I try to cook as much as I can for the week simultaneously. If I'm going to grill something, why not grill several things, even if I don't use them that day. They keep just fine in the fridge! Secondly, I'm striving always to bring maximum flavor and uniqueness to healthy eating without breaking the bank, making it difficult, nor passing up on the foods we all love to have!
So, with this recipe we're going to tackle BBQ only instead of chicken, (although I used some chicken too!), we're going to smoke them a bit along with some sliced portabello mushrooms (used later in the week for my ramen bowl! Stay tuned), grill our veggies, and and just get it all done at once!

This does take a little forethought. I preferred to have a bit of smoke to this, so I soaked some pecan chips in water for a couple hours prior to putting on the grill. Drain the water out before you put them on a hot grill, in the aluminum tray or a smoking tray (if your grill has one).

BBQ and Lightly Smoked Turkey Breasts with Grilled Zucchini and Portabello Mushrooms

BBQ Sauce:

• 4 T        Blackberry puree
• 2 T        Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce
• 2 T        Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 t         Hot Sauce (Tapatio, Frank's Red Hot)
• 1-1/2 T  Ketchup
• 1/3 C     Water
• 1 T         Salt
• 1-1/2 t    Pepper

Mix well in a bowl, split into two bowl and a cruet or gravy boat for serving BBQ sauce on the plates.

GRILLING:

1. Put smoking tray on a hot grill for about 10 minutes prior to grilling food.
2. Have any veggies you'd like to grill already cut, and set handy on a separate (from the meat) plate/pan/tray, to avoid contaminating the veggies. I used zucchini spears, sprayed with a little cooking spray, sprinkled with oregano and lemon juice.
3. Place turkey or chicken on the grill, and immediately baste with some of the BBQ sauce from one of the bowls.
4. Close the lid down, and leave for 10 minutes.
5. Turn turkey or chicken, and baste.
6. Put veggies on the grill now, and put the portabello mushrooms on a rack above (if available) or very near the smoking chips.
7. 
8. Close the lid for 12 minutes.
9. Turn the vegetables, and remove the turkey or chicken to a plate, and cover loosely with foil.
10. Leave the vegetables on the grill for 5 more minutes, then remove from the grill.
11. Slice the turkey or chicken and serve with extra BBQ sauce.

I promise, everyone will enjoy this! Enjoy everyone!  - Michael!

Start summer off right with Blackberry Lemonade, then...

So, in the South it's summer already, with temperatures skyrocketing into the 80's daily. ALREADY! With that in mind, there's nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day, after mowing the lawn especially, than a glass of freshly made lemonade. Except, maybe...

Mmmm...

When living in Seattle, a friend of mine  got hooked on trying new flavors of lemonade - strawberry, raspberry, blueberry were usually early in the season when she would go picking them at a local farm. But, in late summer, the blackberries grew HUGE on the side of our house. We'd wait for them to get to the point that they were nearly falling off the vines, and PLUCK 'EM! Mah-gawd...

I recently saw some blackberries in the local grocery and said, "yep. It's time." So, I'm going to share with you my blackberry sauce recipe, which can be used here to make some blackberry lemonade, and then as well in a blackberry and Chipotle bbq grilling sauce, than can also be used as a pan sauce at the end (that's in the NEXT installment/recipe!)

And, if you're really adventurous... on a hot afternoon when you finished all your chores... why not a little somfin'-somfin' extra in that lemonade?

Highly recommended!

BLACKBERRY PUREE SAUCE RECIPE:

• 2 Pints of blackberries
• 6 packets of Stevia sweetener
• 1/2 C of water

1. Place all ingredients into a sauce pan, bring to a simmer for about 15 minutes

2. 

   Between low and medium heat on this pan, otherwise they will overflow!

3. 
   
4. Mash them with a potato masher, and return to the heat for another 5 minutes.
5. Let sit in the pan off the heat and cool, for about 15 minutes.
6. You can reduce these in a couple ways, in a blender or a food processor, crush these for about a minute. 
7. Finally, put a glass bowl on the counter, with a fine mesh strainer (sieve) over top of the bowl. Pour the blackberry reduction into the strainer and use a silicone/plastic spatula to mash this through the strainer. Every now and then, scrape the bottom of the strainer, into the bowl. Wrap or place into a storage container for future use.

BLACKBERRY LEMONADE RECIPE:

• 1/2 C of blackberry puree you just created above
• 1 C fresh lemon juice
• 2 C water
• Ice

1. In a tall 2 QT pitcher, mix together the first three ingredients.
2. After blended, add ice to bring the liquid to the top of the pitcher, and let sit a few minutes.
3. If you enjoy it, add a shot of moonshine to each glass!
4. If it's not sweet enough, add a spoonful of the blackberry puree to each glass and stir!

Healthier eating for summer weather - Greens + Grains Bowls - Options are ENDLESS!

Greens + Grains Bowls - Options are ENDLESS!

Hello All! It's been a minute, I realize! I wanted to start things off on a good note, and am posting something I believe is so good for you, and so tasty! Especially since summer is right around the corner. We get busier, we want to sit out in the sun and have a light meal, maybe we work out at lunch time and want to return to our desks with something not too heavy! All of those are ME for sure! Most importantly, I'm going to lay out a system for you here, so you can make not just one, but many for the week, and have them at your finger tips. This is going to seem long, but honestly, if you do all your prep at once, you'll have enough to simply scoop and create your greens + grains bowl in a minute and be done! And, as long as you keep your ingredients separated, they will likely stay crunchy and fresh all week.

So, having now moved to The 704, and being a foodie, working with foodies, we get out A LOT. And, two places have had me wanting - no CRAVING, their food at home - Cava, and Yafo. Both are Mediterranean style "create your own" bowls, some with greens and/or grains (like we're going to do here), and then a host of different sauces and toppings, which we'll also go into. You also have a choice of your proteins, from falafel, chicken, beef, pork and even lamb (tasty, but so fatty!). What we're going to focus on here today is chicken, which I'll give you two ways to prepare on the grill - lemon and oregano (Greek inspired!), and balsamic and honey (Italian inspired). You could use tuna fish, tofu, garbonzos, or even sliced grilled tuna for your protein, but choose wisely!  Choose HEALTHY!

GREEN INGREDIENTS:

I picked the following, which can all be chopped/sliced/prepped into separate containers for future bowl building. 

• Arugala
• Mixed greens with spinach
• Cucumber (thinly sliced or chopped)
• Red onion
• Red and Orange peppers (chopped or thinly sliced
• Red Cabbage (shredded)
• Feta cheese crumbles (go easy! 1 T per bowl)
• Hummus (go easy! 1 heaping T per bowl)
• Cilantro (chopped)
• Italian curley parsley (chopped)

Optionals:

• Dried cranberries
• Dried cherries
• Harissa
• Grilled peppers
• Grilled red onions
• Mint - cilantro - grilled jalapeno chutney
• Olives (Spanish, or Kalamata)
• Tzatziki sauce

GRAINS:

I picked a couple easy ones to cook, that give you a chewy-ness, something different and not ho-hum by any means, and definitely healthy!

Farro:

• 1 C Farro
• 2 C Water
• 1 t Better than Bullion, concentrated chicken broth
• 1/2 t Salt

1. Bring the water, chicken broth and salt to a boil. 
2. Add the farro, cover and set for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the lid, and cook for another 4-5 minutes, until tender but chewy and the water is nearly gone. Set aside to cool.

Quinoa:

• 1 C Quinoa
• 2 C Water
• 1 t Better than Bullion, concentrated chicken broth
• 1/2 t Salt

1. Bring the water, chicken broth and salt to a boil. 
2. Add the quinoa, cover and set for 15 minutes.
3. Remove the lid, and set aside to cool.

PROTEINS:

I used chicken for this - something simple, high protein, and easy to cook that could be done while the above grains are cooking. In fact, I cooked the chicken, and washed the grill pan by the time the farro was done. (Just sayin'!)

Next, let's talk marinades, which you can put your chicken breasts or boneless skinless thighs into for about 4 - 6 hours and they'll be flavorful:

Greek inspired:

• 1/2 C Lemon juice
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 2 T oregano, crushed
• 1 t garlic powder (or four cloves of crushed fresh garlic!)
• 1 t onion powder

Italian inspired:

• 1/2 + 1/8 C Balsamic vinegar
• 2 T honey
• 1/8 C olive oil 
• 1 t garlic powder (or four cloves of crushed fresh garlic!)
• 1 t onion powder

Grill the chicken on a hot grill pan or on the BBQ grill for about 3 minutes per side, max. Pull them off, and cover lightly. They will continue to carry over cook and will be fine

Love my grill pan!

ASSEMBLY:

So, here's the thing- there's really no wrong way to do this! Put some greens in the bottom of the bowl, maybe some shredded cabbage, carrots, diced cucumber and red onion salad with Italian parsley (simply chop all ingredients, marinate in red wine vinegar for 10 minutes with a touch of salt; only make enough for one serving as it won't keep), cilantro, parsley, then some grains (maybe a 1/4 cup of each), maybe a couple tablespoons of beans (especially garbanzos or cannelloni beans), a drop of humus on the side, maybe some walnuts, or slivered almonds, maybe a couple slices of hard boiled egg? Then, slice some chicken (or other protein) and lay that on top!

Now, you can get creative and add artichoke hearts, beet salad, other things, but let's keep this simple for now!

Top this with a light vinaigrette, or simply with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and I promise, you will not be disappointed! 

Let me know what you think of this!

Soon! Very soon!

Soooo... New dream kitchen, new camera with video capabilities, new spirit, new life.

New posts hopefully as August comes to a close, as summer is so busy.

But I'm experimenting with some new recipes, like this blackened salmon Alfredo primavera with wilted arugula and basil (from my window sill)!!!

BADA BING BABY!!!!!

A new Dawn has risen...

Stay tuned folks! I now have my "dream kitchen," and am excited to share with you some new flavors (like the Thai green curry chicken with lemon, ginger and cilantro rice!), a new adventure!

Time to experiment with some lighting to help me get better photos, some videos, and some kitchen hacks and failures to share! 

Eat, and be happy! - Michael

I know... get past the soups, man!

So, I'm posting another soup- mainly because the dessert I wanted to post last week well- it didn't turn out! Experiments sometimes... oh... what's the word? FAIL? Sure.. we'll say it! It was supposed to be a faux ice cream made from mashed up bananas, and I had some fresh Washington cherries, some chocolate. Was aiming for a banana version of Cherry Garcia got brown, and froze too hard to be able to get out of the plastic container... I'll research some other methods, I'll figure something out.

I'm trying to stay slender, but build muscle,  especially now that I've started PaSaRyu karate! (Dream to start since I was a kid!) So, other than salads, I've mainly been cooking pots of soups- something for my lunches at work, filling, healthy. One soup I LOVE, absolutely love, is split pea with ham and bacon. While it's really a winter soup, I went ahead to make some anyway because I know it's full of protein, veggies, and, well- it does have BACON, right??? But in this case, in order to make it a little healthier, I used bacon I've already cooked. This cuts down on the oil/fat and salt in the overall recipe, of which there's plenty from the smoked ham hocks!. Additionally, I only used a cup of chicken stock (homemade) and 5 cups of water- again, some flavor, less salt and fewer calories. Save a few calories, and there.

So, while you may not think it's a good summer dish, keep this on hand for fall and winter then! I won't be offended! But, just give it a try, I think you'll be surprised.

Split Pea Soup with Ham and Bacon

Ingredients:

• 2 C each of chopped celery, onion and carrots
• 2 slices of cooked bacon, chopped
• 2 smoked ham hocks
• 1 lb of split peas
• 1 - 2 C of chicken stock or broth
• 4 - 5 C of water
• 1 t Worchestershire Sauce
• 1-1/2 T of thyme
• 1 T pepper
• Salt to taste

1. Cook chopped bacon for about 2 minutes over medium high heat.  
2. Add celery, onion, carrot, thyme, and sweat just until the onions become translucent on the edges- about 4 minutes.
3. 

        4. Remove veggies from pot into a large bowl, and set aside. 

        5. Add chicken stock or broth, water, and ham hocks and bring to a low boil.

        6. Add split peas to the pot.

      7. Reduce heat to a strong simmer, and allow to cook for 45 minutes. After that time, start to mash a majority of the peas against the side of the pot, making it more of a thicker, creamy texture, than watery.

       8. Return the veggies to the pot, and continue to cook for 6-10 minutes, depending on how cooked you like your carrots- but remember, you will likely reheat some of this! So, don't over cook the carrots!

      9. Start breaking up the ham hocks. You can competely remove them to do so, but remove some of the skin and fat, and definitely the large bones- it's all done its duty, made its sacrifice for the good of your belly!

Has it REALLY been THAT LONG?!?!?!

Man, life throws you into the ocean sometimes, and I've been trying to survive the rising and falling seas for a couple years now! It seems I've landed ashore, safe and sound, battered, bruised, wiser, and with a new resolve.

It's with that thought in mind I'm going to share a very simple recipe for a soup. YES, A SOUP IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER! There's reasons... let me explain!

So, in the past year, I made my way from Everett, Washington (north of Seattle), to Erie Pennsylvania (my home town, to visit cousins and friends for several weeks), to Cleveland, Ohio where things didn't quite go right, to Sumter, South Carolina (and spend time with my family of origin), and finally landed in Concord, North Carolina, north east of Charlotte NC. (NOTE: NO! I will not become a Carolina Panthers fan! GO HAWKS!)

In all of this travel, I made it a mission to get back into shape and work out again- things I really love. Also, to get back to cooking smart, healthy, and feeding my belly, soul, and this blog! And hopefully my friends as a result! You know- no one leaves my house hungry, and "the food don't suck here!"

So, the dogs and I walked, and walked, and walked- sometimes over 11 miles a day! We went to the dog parks, we took my aunt Bonnie to the dog park with us! Great dog therapy, and it turned out she went from taking her rollator-walker and only moving for about 5 minutes, twice during the visit, to taking a cane, usually leaving it by the picnic tables, and throwing the ball for the dogs! They loved it of course!

One of the first visits.

Breaking that "south of the border" food rut...

Blowing up the kitchen,
and savoring my homebrew...
quite tasty I might add!
(BTW, that's Dolly supervising.)

One of the things I really enjoy is learning how to use new ingredients from different cultures and trying to find success with ingredients I may have not understood and failed with previously. Ok, maybe not "failed", but some attempts are just less than spectacular. This week, I had something come together that truly was spectacular! I mean, this was "serve it to impress" spectacular! Don't believe me, just try it! (Recipe and photos below, OF COURSE!!!!)


I generally have little bits of things in my freezer. I'm not quite a horder, but I'm very frugal! Here's a couple of examples of what someone might find in my freezer, and don't laugh!

•  
• Onion scraps/onion broth ice cubes: When I use onions, I generally keep the peel and first layer of the onion peeled back, but attached to the root. When I get close to the root, instead of it discarding it or composting it, it goes in to a freezer bag until I have enough for broth. I've used leeks (the green parts that are always being discarded), green onions that went limp and lifeless, garlic in its husk that seems a bit dry and all sorts of onion scraps (red, white, sweet, yellow). So, I finally made onion broth with it. People coming in the house that day were disappointed I hadn't made French onion soup, the house smelled so good! I've used it to flavor rice, couscous, and even shrimp curry (instead of using coconut milk which is high in bad fats, but oh-so-good!) 
• Leftover kalamata olive bread- We had a hankering for it, and one of us suddenly went out of town. Since one person alone couldn't finish the loaf, I cut it into a couple of large chunks, wrapped well, and froze it! Used one of those for some DELISH meatballs!
• Chicken and veggie scraps: I have these scraps building up for a tasty chicken broth. De-boned some chicken breasts, and keep the bones in a bag in the freezer. Add to it some celery leaves, carrot tops, onion roots or scraps, etc. Soon, you've got enough for a small batch of chicken broth to cure what ails ya'!
• Tails from shrimp: makes a great stock! And, I do a lot of shrimp curries... just do...
• Sausage, specifically CHORIZO: I had bought some Mexican chorizo to cook with some potatoes for breakfast, and knew I wouldn't use the entire package so I cut up the raw sausage into a couple of large chunks and froze until later. And, that's partly how we got to this recipe!

So, I had originally thought I'd make a stuffed pork tenderloin- maybe with spinach and chorizo, but the tenderloin wasn't the same thickness throughout. Scratched my head for a bit, and resolved that the pork tenderloin was going to cook on it's own. I love PT, but it needs flavor. What to do, what to do... A-HA! A rub... what to use, what to use...

Achiote paste is this deep red, clay looking paste that was something I used as a rub previously, but didn't get much flavor out of it- didn't know quite how to use it. I pulled it down from the shelf, and it was hard and dried out. 



Into a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and two tablespoons of water, break it up, nuke it for 20 seconds, and mash it against the wall of the cup... This is a brick red color that you almost want to paint with! And, if you enjoy it as much as I did, you'll be happy to know it will stick around for about a day- ON YOUR SKIN! You might want to use gloves...

But finally, I'd found the right application for it. You can't just use it completely dry- it needs a catalyst like water, broth, vinegar, oil- to make it pliable, spreadable, liquid, etc. Finally, I got it! Opened my eyes, and now I have all sorts of ideas on how to use it! 

Now, I don't know about you, but I have grown to love spinach. Hated it growing up. Love it in stir fries, or just sauteed with some crushed red pepper, olive oil, S&P (salt and pepper) and chopped garlic. But, that gets BORING... I have to be honest, since it's only been the last year or so I joined the spinach bandwagon (which means I didn't just buy it to bury it in a cooked dish where I really wouldn't taste it!), I don't have that many recipes for it in my arsenal. And, if you're like me, it starts to leech a bit, or go soft, before you can use it all. Once it's bruised and turning dark in spots, you almost HAVE to cook it for it to be palatable. OR, you use it with a hot salad dressing that's going to wilt it anyways. Hot bacon dressing is good, but since I was going with the whole "south of the border" theme, why not use chorizo??? It's spicy, fatty, greasy like bacon,... it meets all the requirements I think! And, it was just completely out of my normal routine. Luckily it worked out VERY well, and I can share it with you, so you can share it with someone else!


And, again I say, this is one of those dishes, when completely composed, that will impress many people! I served it on a cuttin board, where we all ate the salad right from the board, instead of on our plates- very communal, slightly different and dramatic in presentation, and TOTALLY FUN! 


Can't wait to hear what you all think when you try this recipe!





Achiote and Cumin Rubbed Pork Tenderloin 


Prep time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Cook time: 20-30 minutes


Ingredients:

• 1 Pork tenderloin ("PT"; roughly 3 lbs)
• 2 T Canola oil (for cooking)

Marinade for pork:

• 1 T Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 T hot/boiling water
• Juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1 cube of Achiote paste



Class of 6/21/12;
Missing from photo: Spinach, Gorganzola.

Rub for pork:

• 2 t Ground Cumin
• 1 T Garlic powder
• 1 T Onion powder
• 1 t each of S&P

PT in freezer bag and marinating.

2. Pull the PT out of the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes to bring it up to room temperature.
3. Place in to large freezer/zip top bag with a dried tenderloin. Massage into the pork, and place into the   fridge for no more than an hour (or you run the risk of the vinegar and lime juice making the tenderloin mealy).
4. In coffee mug, or blender, combine the ingredients for the marinade, and mash or blend to combine and create a deep red marinade that is smooth, without chunks of Achiote paste.
5. Place PT on a cutting board, and mix the "rub" for the PT in a small dish or cup. Sprinkle on all sides. You should have enough to lightly cover the entire tenderloin- you're not looking for full coverage as you would with something you're going to bbq like ribs or pork shoulder. This is a light seasoning.
6. Heat up a pan on medium high heat. Once hot, add the oil- it should become shimmery immediately.



Searing the meat in the pan- and yes,
I had drinks to help me along!

7. Place the PT in the pan, and lightly brown all sides (don't worry about the ends).
8. Once that is complete, place in a 375 deg F oven (covered with foil) until internal temperature reaches about 145 F (15-20 minutes). 
9. Remove foil, broil for about 3 minutes.
10. Remove from oven, place foil back on it (not tight) and let the meat rest for about 5 minutes.

While the meat is resting, you can make your salad! It's that simple...

Spinach and Gorganzola Salad with Warm Chorizo Vinaigrette


Salad Ingredients (for two):

• 
• 1/2 Bag of spinach
• 2 Radishes, thinly sliced
• 1/4 Sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 2 oz. Gorgonzola or Blue cheese

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 3 oz. Mexican-style Chorizo (most grocery stores carry this soft uncooked pork sausage in a roll or tube)
• 1 Garlic clove, peeled, but not chopped
• 2 t sugar, or Agave syrup (even betta'!)
• 3 T vinegar (rice wine, white wine, white vinegar for example)
• 1 T canola oil

Preparation:

Fully cooked chorizo.

1.  
2. Fill a large bowl with the spinach. 
3. Set radishes, onion and cheese to the side- it doesn't go on the salad until after the dressing.
4. In a medium hot pan, add the chorizo and cook thoroughly along with the garlic clove (we want the flavor, but we don't need the clove itself. Just throw it away after cooking.)
5. When the sausage is fully cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the sugar/agave, vinegar, and a touch of oil (as much as 1 T, but you don't have to use all of it). Thoroughly mix.
6. Pour over the spinach while hot and toss. Some spinach will begin to wilt, which is why if you want to use some bruised spinach in this, along with good leaves of course, you could get away with it.
7. Add onion, radishes, and cheese and toss again.
8. SERVE!!! EAAAAAAT!!!