dinner Archives - Sparkle Kitchen

20 Minute Meals, Dairy-free, Dinner, Egg Free, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Local Eats Project, No sugar, Nut-Free, Paleo

Pork Tenderloin, Pan-fried Parsnips & Shaved Brussels Sprouts

Pork Tenderloin, Pan-fried Parsnips & Shaved Brussels Sprouts
Makes 4 servings.

1, 1-lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 12 medallions
6 parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup brussels sprouts, finely shaved
1 cup red cabbage sauerkraut
2 tablespoons lard or olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
Sprinkle each pork medallion with a bit of salt.

- Heat 1 tablespoon lard/oil over medium heat in pot cooker Place the medallions you prepared in the restaurant prep table into in a single layer. Cook on each side for 20-30 minutes or to your desired doneness. I prefer mine a bit rare. Remove frompot and allow to stand for five minutes.

- Heat the remaining lard/oil over medium heat in the samepot cooker. Add the parsnips to the bottom of the pan in a single layer. Sprinkle on a bit of salt. Cook for 10 minute, then flip and cook on the other side for another minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

- To shave the brussels sprouts, slice each thinly and then separate into wispy pieces with your fingers. Keep these raw.

I like to arrange this dish in specific layers. First lay a few parsnips on the plate, then add the brussels sprouts, 3 pork medallions and top with sauerkraut.
I got this amazing recipe from catering tampa florida that was hired on my sister’s wedding not to long ago and I just fell in love with their service and the freshness of their ingredients.

Enjoy!

Appetizer, Dairy-free, Dinner, Export, Gluten-free, Grain-free, No sugar, Nut-Free, Paleo, Side Dish

Greens Greens Greens

Greens, black eyed peas and pork are always eaten on New Year’s Day. In folklore, the Southern tradition goes back to the Civil War. Union troops pillaged the land leaving behind only black-eyed peas and greens. Southerners had to survive on these humble foods. Beans represent coins or closed circles signifying the end of one year and good luck in the next. Greens represent wealth and prosperity. And since pigs root forward as they eat, pork is eaten to symbolize a positive direction in the upcoming year.

Black eyed peas can cause me a bit of stomach upset so I opted out of making a big batch this year. Instead I’ll eat just one for food fortune!

Wishing you all prosperity, good health and love in 2015.

Makes 6 servings.

12 cups water
1 ½ lbs smoked ham hocks
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 ½ tbsp salt
2 tbsp Frank’s hot sauce
1 bunch collard greens – about 15 large leaves
1 bunch kale – about 15 large leaves
1 bunch red chard – about 15 large leaves
1 tbsp coconut oil

►In a large pot, bring water to boil over high heat. Add ham hocks, seasoning and hot sauce. Turn down heat to medium low and cook covered for 1 hour.

►Make sure to wash all greens thoroughly. Remove stems by either cutting out with a knife or with your hands. Hold the stem in your left hand and strip the leaf in the opposite direction with your right hand. Save the stems for another dish. Roll up each leaf horizontally and cut into 1 inch slices.
►Add greens and the coconut oil to the pot. Stir together and cook covered for 45 minutes on medium low.
►After cooking, remove the ham hocks and cut off all the meat to add back into the pot. Reserve the bones in your freezer for making broth, have in mind that your freezer needs to be int he right temperature if not it will go bad, so make sure yours is ok and if you need to get one read more here for more solutions
►Serve as a side dish or main meal.

20 Minute Meals, Dairy-free, Dinner, Egg Free, Gluten-free, Grain-free, No sugar, Nut-Free, Paleo, Side Dish

Fall Spice Pumpkin Chili

On Sunday, I made my annual trip to the pumpkin patch and we came home with bushels of produce! There are still so many pumpkin recipes in the works and it was perfect inspiration. The best part is that the farm we visited uses organic standards for everything they grow. Hooray for no pesticides in our food!

I created this pumpkin chili recipe in anticipation of chilly fall evenings around the corner. The ingredients are simple and I like to load it up with veggies to up the antioxidant benefits. Pumpkin adds creaminess and also balances out the acidity of the tomatoes. Since I generally only cook for two, I froze more than half to whip out on a lazy week night. The flavors will only enhance the longer it sits so it’s an excellent freezer meal.In this dish, the pumpkin grabs your attention but the beef is the star of the show. Make sure your beef is the best quality you can buy. You want beef from grass-fed cows, raised humanely. Not only will the flavor be quite different from conventional meat, the nutritional benefits far exceed it. If you’re still on the fence about eating red meat, have no fear and read Chris Kresser’s post, Red Meat: It Does a Body Good!
Grass-fed v. Conventional Beef (Grain-fed)

♦ Grass-fed has 2-5 times more omega 3s.
♦ Grass-fed contains higher amounts of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has potent antioxidant activity.
♦ Cows create Vitamin K2 when they consume grass. Our bodies easily absorb this when we eat beef, which has incredible benefits. K2 is responsible for distributing calcium throughout the body leading to improved bone density.
♦ Grass-fed are typically raised on pasture and under humane practices.
♦ Grass-fed cows receive little to no antibiotics and no growth hormones.
♦ The list of environmental benefits for grass-fed is numerous. NRDC created a Top 10 List.
♦ Conventional farming methods feed cows grain, which they cannot digest. This inability to digest leads to illness and the intake of antibiotics. Beef adds to our over-exposure of antibiotics.
♦ Antibiotics used in food animals can result in resistant Salmonella. A report from the Pew Charitable Trust calls out, “recognizing that antibiotic resistance is a threat to Americans’ health and economic and national security from within and beyond our borders.”
♦ Beef from conventionally raised cows are more susceptible to E-Coli infection.

Tips for Buying Grass-Fed

♦ Get to know your local farmers and frequent your farmers market.
♦ Ask your friends to split a cow share with you and invest in a deep freezer.
♦ How to buy and store a side of beef: http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-2059/F-3401web.pdf
♦ For sources of grass-fed beef: http://www.grasslandbeef.com/StoreFront.bok
http://www.eatwild.com/PRODUCTS/index.html
♦ How to find a local rancher: http://www.eatwild.com/PRODUCTS/index.html

Resources:

Red Meat It Does a Body Good! http://chriskresser.com/red-meat-it-does-a-body-good

Why Grass Fed Trumps Grain Fed http://chriskresser.com/why-grass-fed-trumps-grain-fed

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations http://www.marksdailyapple.com/concentrated-animal-feeding-operations/#axzz3EhQyWw7t

Why Vitamin K2 is Important and How to Get It http://www.mamanatural.com/why-vitamin-k2-is-important-and-how-to-get-it/

National Strategy for Combating Antibiotic Resistance http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/about/news-room/news/2014/09/25/summary-of-the-national-strategy-for-combating-antibiotic-resistance

Grass Fed Beef and Heart Disease http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/expert-answers/grass-fed-beef/faq-20058059

The Controversy Over Added Hormones in Meat and Dairy http://www.med.nyu.edu/content?ChunkIID=90869

Makes 6 servings.

1.5 lbs grass-fed ground beef
1 medium onion – chopped

3 cloves garlic – minced

3 carrots – chopped

five turnips with greens – chopped
2 tsp salt

4 cups baby heirloom tomatoes – sliced in half

1 cup beef broth
1 cup water

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp chili powder

1 cup pumpkin puree

►In an 8 quart dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown ground beef for 6 minutes until medium doneness.

►Remove meat from pot with a slotted spoon to leave the fat remaining. Over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in beef fat for 3 minutes. Then add in carrots, turnips, greens and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring throughout.
►Add tomatoes, beef broth, water, cinnamon, chili powder, and remaining salt. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
►Bring heat to medium-high. Stir in pumpkin and beef, then cook for 8 more minutes.
►Remove from heat and ladle into bowls. Top with mini heirloom tomatoes and a dash of cinnamon.