The Quick & Easy Holiday Meal Made Healthy
Wow your guests with this impressively well-balanced meal. The colorful presentation won’t give away your secret – it was so easy!
Pork Tenderloin served with Apples and Cranberries
Pork tenderloin is the most tender cut of pork and it’s leaner than chicken breast! Be careful not to over-cook.
Rub:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp dry thyme
- 2 tsp ginger powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- salt/pepper to taste
Meat:
- 2 pound pork tenderloin
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Mix the ingredients for the rub together in a small bowl.
- Rub the mixture all over the pork tenderloin as evenly as possible and place in a roasting pan.
- Roast for an hour uncovered or until the meat thermometer reads 145 degrees F. (Use this time to make the “Festive Apples” accompaniment.)
- Remove from the oven and let the pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing into ½ inch discs.
Festive Apples
A fat-free perfect match for the pork
- 2 empire apples, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- Spray an 8-10 inch skillet with non-stick spray and place on the stove at medium heat.
- Sauté the apples and dried cranberries for 5 minutes or until apples are completely soft. Don’t worry if the apples break into smaller pieces.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle the cinnamon on top.
- Serve on top of the pork tenderloin.
Roasted Potatoes
The quintessential side dish
- 4 waxy potatoes, approximately 14 oz
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ tsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley
- salt/pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cover an 8 x 8 inch pan with aluminum foil and cut the potatoes into small wedges.
- Toss the potatoes in the olive oil and arrange in the pan evenly and in one layer.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 20 minutes then sprinkle the Cajun seasoning on top. Toss the potatoes to coat and place back in the oven for another 25 minutes.
- Place the potatoes on a serving platter and toss with fresh parsley.
String Beans
Pretty and pretty easy
- 4 cups of string beans, trimmed
- 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, in ribbons*
- 1 ½ oz French mimoulette
(or Edam or Parmesan), grated
- salt/pepper to taste
- Place string beans and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl
and microwave on high for 1 minute.
- Toss string beans and arrange carrot ribbons on top. Season with salt and pepper.
- Microwave for 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle cheese on top and serve.
*Carrot ribbons – After the carrot is peeled to remove the layer of dirt, continue using the peeler to strip layers of the carrot the same way you peel a carrot, resulting in ribbons.
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