Cider-Dijon Pork Chops with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Quick gourmet meals in the middle of the week are my favorite! This one is done in as little as 35 minutes. Excited? I'll get you more excited! These vegetables are not only off the hook delicious, they also help to pack in 7g of fiber, and make the meal look pretty, wouldn't you say? At 500 calories, this won't break your calorie bank either.

Recipe credits go to Curtis Stone, but I did make a few adjustments in oil and the portion of the meat to bring the calories down from 650 per serving. I was also more realistic with the cooking time, because I'm nice like that.

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Cider-Dijon Pork Chops with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Time: 35 Minutes
Serves 4 

Ingredients

Pork
4 boneless pork loin chops (each about 5 ounces, and 1-inch thick)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoons unsalted butter

Vegetables and Apples
1 pound red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled and cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
2 Pink Lady or Fuji apples, cored and cut lengthwise into eighths
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and cut lengthwise into eighths
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and place in the oven until very hot.

To cook the vegetables and apples: In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, apples, fennel, and rosemary with the olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread the vegetables and apples on it. Roast, turning the ingredients over halfway through, for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are nicely browned and tender.

Meanwhile, cook the pork: Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then add the chops to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and barely pink when pierced in the center with the tip of a small sharp knife. Transfer to a platter (reserving the oil in the skillet) and let stand for 5 minutes.

Return the pan to medium-low heat, add the apple cider, and bring to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Whisk in the mustard and simmer for about 2 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter to lightly thicken the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide the sweet potato mixture among four dinner plates. Place a pork chop alongside the vegetables on each plate. Drizzle with the pan sauce and serve.

Clam Linguine With Herb Broth and Clams

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Clam linguine anyone? Because I’m pretty sure I can hear you saying “yes please!” Clams, like other shellfish, are made up of high quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Equally important, in my opinion, they’re also made up of B12! I like to include B12 often in my diet because it helps to keep my body energized, my nervous system healthy, and my metabolism in check. Plus, this pasta is just so simple and delicious, and can be prepared easily on a weeknight. I like serving it up with a small glass of white wine too!

Clam Linguine With Herb Broth and Clams

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
3 pounds Manila clams or small littleneck clams
4 tbsp butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
3 medium roma tomatoes, cored, chopped
3 cups dry white wine, such as Pino Grigio
1 cup clam juice
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano, or 2 tbsp dried
2 pinches of dried crushed red pepper
12 ounces linguine

Directions
Place clams in a colander and scrub under running water. Place in a bowl of cold water and set aside for 20 minutes.

Melt butter with olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until beginning to soften, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add white wine and clam juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.

Bring broth to boil. Add clams, cover, and cook until clams open, 3 to 5 minutes (discard any clams that do not open). Transfer clams to large bowl; tent with foil to keep warm.

Stir basil, parsley, oregano, and crushed red pepper into broth in pot. Add linguine. Boil until pasta is almost tender but still very firm to bite, stirring often and adding clam juice by tablespoonfuls if too dry. Return clams with any accumulated juices to pot. Cover and simmer until clams are heated through and pasta is tender but still firm to bite, about 3 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer linguine and clam mixture to large shallow platter and serve.

Pork Belly Stir-Fry with Snow Peas and Mixed Mushrooms

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Seeing this recipe, you might ask, is pork belly stir-fry a healthy option? It depends! As a dietitian, I know that it’s totally fine to indulge on occasion. While I wouldn’t recommend eating large portions of this delicious meal below every day, I will say that it can be a part of a healthy diet, especially because it’s packed with so many vegetables. So while I’ll try to keep other meals I eat this week on the lower sodium side, I will allow this on my plate.

Overall, I think that it’s important to allow yourself to eat the foods you enjoy on occasion as long as you keep moderation in mind, and try to be creative by incorporating healthy ingredients as much as possible. That way you can stick to your plan to meet your health goals, but not become discouraged on your journey to getting there!

Pork Belly Stir-Fry with Snow Peas and Mixed Mushrooms

Adapted from Bon Appetit Test Kitchen
Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 lb pork belly, cut into 2-inch-long by ¼-inch-thich slices
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp ginger, minced
16 oz mixed Asian mushrooms, such as oyster, enoki, shiitake
8 oz snow peas, trimmed
1 bunch green onions, sliced, divided
12 birdseye chilis (optional)
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, divided
3-5 tbsp hoisin sauce (to taste)
2 tbsp chili-garlic sauce
¼ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
Steamed rice, to serve

Directions
Sprinkle pork belly with salt and pepper. Heat a large wok or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and mushrooms; stir-fry until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Add pork belly to skillet; stir fry for 1-2 minutes, until pork has browned, but is not cooked through. Add snow peas, half of the green onions, birdseye chilis (if using), and half of the cilantro; stir-fry for one minute. Stir in hoisin, chili-garlic sauce, and five-spice powder. Sauté until peas are crisp-tender, 1-2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to plates with steamed rice and sprinkle with remaining green onions and cilantro.

Kenyan Braised Kale with Ground Beef

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If you’re looking for something a little different to cook, but for something that’s still familiar (a stir fry over rice), try out this recipe for Kenyan Braised Kale with Ground Beef. If you know of larb, a Thai dish, this shares a lot of similarities in texture and appearance. But thanks so the spice mixture, which includes cinnamon, the flavor is definitely African. Can’t imagine what that would taste like? Make this to mix up your cooking routine. It’s great served over brown rice, with roasted sweet potatoes, or even a little bit of whole grain flatbread. I’m not sure where I found the original recipe, but it is featured on Food & Wine. I’ve changed it up to add kale instead of collards (I love kale, and it’s packed with even more nutrients than collard greens), and added San Marzano tomatoes from my garden. Super delicious!

Kenyan Braised Kale with Ground Beef

Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 white onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped
1 lb ground beef
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 large bunch kale, stems removed, chopped
4 roma tomatoes, quartered
1 tsp lemon juice

Directions
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef and seasonings and cook browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the collard greens and tomatoes and sauté until wilted, about 4 minutes. Stir everything gently as it cooks, careful not to mush the tomatoes. Add the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Start your week off rich in Omega-3s with this recipe for Halibut with Zucchini, Olives, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Get your week off to a good start with a lovely serving of Omega-3s! The FDA recommends consuming two servings of seafood per week to boost heart and brain health, which means that it’s not a bad idea to start eating fish earlier in the week so that you can plan your next fish dish before the week is over. And if you’re like me, you can always double up your recipe so that you can dive into more omega-3s for lunch the next day. How is that for fantastic?

Because I’ve been eating a lot of salmon, tuna, and black cod recently, I decided this time to opt for halibut. While halibut is admittedly less rich in omega-3s than the latter, one 6-oz portion is still going to net about 900mg of omega-3s, which is still considerable. So if you find yourself growing tired of seafood highest in omega-3s, don’t hesitate to choose an option in the middle range, like halibut. I think that adding diverse foods to your diet is best, especially because it will lessen your chance for boredom!

Before you dive into meal planning for the delicious recipe below, check out the list made by Seafood Health Facts that details the omega-3 content of various types of fish.

Halibut with Zucchini, Olives, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Time: 35 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 medium zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and coarsely chopped (reserving 2 tsbp oil)
1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, pits removed, and coarsely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Four (6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F.

Add zucchini and salt to a medium boil and let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse, drain, and pat zucchini dry.

Arrange 4 long pieces of foil on a work surface and brush each piece of foil lightly with a little of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil.

Add sun-dried tomatoes and remaining oil to a small bowl with cilantro and olives, and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange your zucchini over each piece of foil by overlapping slices about the same size and shape of each fish fillet. Top zucchini with half of the sun-dried tomato mixture. Arrange fish over vegetables and top with remaining sun-dried tomato mixture. Seal each fillet with foil by folding into packets. Set on a baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until the fish has cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 145F.

Carefully open each packet and transfer to serving plates. Enjoy!

Goan-Style Shrimp Curry

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This Goan-style shrimp curry recipe is so good that it should be illegal somewhere! I’m not exaggerating, honest. We’ve made this several times and have only made a few tweaks to the recipe below. The fresh curry leaves and sambhaar are what really bring this meal together and if you’re wondering where to acquire them, both are only a Google away! The original recipe is by Suvir Saran and is adapted here on the  James Beard Foundation website.

Goan-Style Shrimp Curry

Time: 25 Minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

Marinade
2 tablespoons lemon juice, from about 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound large or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Sauce
1 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
24 fresh curry leaves, roughly torn
4-8 dried red chiles (4 for mild, 8 for spicy)
1 teaspoon ground peppercorns
1 (3-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon sambhaar or 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
To make the marinade, place the lemon juice, kosher salt, ground peppercorns, and cayenne pepper in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Add the shrimp, toss to coat, and refrigerate.

Set 1/2 cup of water next to the stovetop. Heat the oil with the curry leaves (if using) and chiles in a medium pot over medium-high heat until the curry leaves start to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ground peppercorns and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the ginger, onion, and salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is browned, about 8 minutes, sprinkling with water and stirring whenever the onion and ginger begin to stick to the bottom of the pot.

Add the garlic, coriander, and turmeric and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tomatoes to the pot. Cook, stirring and scraping the browned bits up from the sides and bottom of the pot, for 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the sambhaar or curry powder and cook for 1 minute, and then pour in the coconut milk and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a saucey consistency. Add the shrimp and any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are curled and opaque, about 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve over rice.

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Quinoa Orzo

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I came across quinoa orzo at our local natural grocery store last week and had to try it! I was a little skeptical that it would come out as perfect as usual, but it really did, while adding additional protein and fiber to our usual pasta recipe. So below is a recipe for quinoa orzo with lemon chicken that is sure to please! I pretty much licked the plate clean when I was done, and I imagine that you will too.

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Quinoa Orzo

Time: 40 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 tbsp canola oil, divided
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tbsp lemon pepper, divided
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2.5 cups chicken broth
12 oz quinoa orzo (regular orzo is fine too!)
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
1/2 cup feta, crumbled, to garnish

Directions
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large dutch oven or heavy pan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with lemon pepper on both sides, about 1.5 tbsp. Add chicken to pan and brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side. Set chicken aside.

Heat the same pan over medium heat with remaining oil and scrape up any browned bits. Add garlic and sauté until soft, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth, orzo, remaining lemon pepper, 1/2 of the parsley to the pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and the broth is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve on plates garnished with remaining parsley and feta.

Mushroom Tacos with Roasted Chilies and Corn

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Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the healthiest tacos you have ever seen! These vegetarian tacos with mushrooms, corn, and chili peppers are tasty and full of textures that will please even the most stubborn meat eater. You can probably taste the flavor from here, but if you’re not sure, these tacos have all that roasted yumminess you’d expect with an additional scrumptious bite from the corn and mushrooms.

Adrian and I left a note on our recipe a while back that these tacos are also the most gourmet tacos that we make, and we still agree. So now it’s your turn to tell me, are these on your list for Taco Tuesday yet? It’s only Friday now, so you have plenty of time to prepare!

Mushroom Tacos with Roasted Chilies and Fresh Corn

Serves 4
Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients
3 Anaheim and/or poblano chili peppers
1 poblano chili, charred over gas flame, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 ear corn, kernels removed from cob (about 1 cup)
Olive oil, about 2 tbsp, divided
Sea salt
1/2 white onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 corn tortillas
6 oz baby bella mushrooms, stems removed, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh epazote leaves, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup feta, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/4 cup Roasted tomato salsa, divided
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions
Char chilies over gas burner on all sides. Place in a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let cool. Peel (do not wash) and cut into 1/2 inch dice.

In a small bowl, add corn, 1 tsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt.

Heat a large dutch oven or heavy skillet over high heat. Spread out corn in pan and roast for about 30 seconds until slightly blackened. Set corn kernels aside.

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the same pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and reserved chilies and saute, until onions are soft and begin to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Meanwhile, lightly fry corn tortillas and blot on paper towels.

Add 1/2 tbsp olive oil to the same pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add the reserved chilies, corn, and feta, and stir in epazote. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon about 1/4 cup vegetables onto each tortilla. Dollop with salsa, cilantro, and garnish with parmesan. Serve immediately.

Flat Iron Steak with Yellow Squash and Tomatoes

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This dish is hands down the most summery meal I’ve made all season! The flavors of the steak and the sherry vinegar glaze are outstanding, and I will say that I decorated this dish after eating a few bites of the steak, and was in such awe of my creation that my artistic abilities certainly overtook me

Below is the recipe! It’s so delicious and easy to make that you might as well take a trip to the store after work and make it tonight!

Flat Iron Steak with Yellow Squash and Tomatoes

Serves 4
Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1.5 lbs flat iron steak, cut into 4 (6 oz) steaks
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 medium yellow squash, halved
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup sherry (or balsamic) vinegar
2 tsp light brown sugar

Directions
Pat steaks dry and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet or dutch oven on medium-high with 2 tbsp olive oil. Add squash and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes, or until squash is tender. Set aside.

In the same pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add steak pieces when oil shimmers and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Set aside and cover with foil for about 10 minutes to let steak rest before slicing.

In the same pan, add vinegar, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper and cook over medium heat until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Slice steak when well rested. Serve drizzled with sherry/balsamic glaze and with squash and tomato sauté on the side.

Poached Black Cod with Butter Beans and Brussels Sprouts

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For those of us who love to cook, weekday meals are usually a bit quicker than those on the weekend. Because of that, we sometimes miss out on delicious flavors that take time to develop. Not so with this meal!

Whether you’ve had a hum-drum Monday at work or stayed late on a Thursday to finish up your busy day, you will have time to make this healthy omega-3 packed recipe. The fish broth that develops in ten minutes from poaching the fish is so delicate that you’ll feel as if you’re eating like royalty at a high-end restaurant, when in fact, you’ve saved a few dollars, and you’re sitting comfortably at your dinner table, which is no doubt one of the best places you can be!

Poached Black Cod with Butter Beans and Brussels Sprouts

Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tbsp lemon zest
4 cloves garlic
3 tbsp minced chives
4 6-oz black cod fillets
2 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
30 Brussels sprouts, quartered and cored
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15 oz) can butter beans

Directions
In a small bowl, make a gremolata by stirring together lemon zest, garlic, and chives.

Pat the fillets dry and season with salt and pepper and half of the gremolata.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and saute for 1 minute. Add the Brussels sprouts, season with salt and pepper, and sautee until brussels sprouts turn bright green, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Carefully ladle fillets into broth. Cover the skillet and cook until fish is cooked through and the sprouts are tender, about 10 minutes.

While fish poaches, heat beans in a microwave-safe bowl for about 1 minute. Lightly mash beans with the back of a fork and divide between deep plates or bowls. Serve fish over beans in a deep plate or bowl, and ladle in broth. Garnish with gremolata and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.