Sweet Potatoes and Pomegranate.

I combined three of my favorites in this dish to create an easy, yummy side!

• 2 cups diced sweet potatoes
• 1 T olive oil
• 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 3-4 mint leaves,chopped
• salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9x13 baking pan with foil.  Toss sweet potato cubes with olive oil. Spread in a single layer in baking pan.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Roast for 25-30 minutes, until soft (but not mushy).  Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.  Add chopped mint and pomegranate seeds.  Gently mix and serve warm.  Delicious chilled too!

Walnut Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin.

This recipe is an adaptation of a Sirloin Tip Roast recipe in the November/December issue of Clean Eating.  It's easy to prepare and there was not one bite remaining!  I served the pork with fresh green beans seasoned with butter & truffle salt and a whole grain & cranberry side dish.  It was a great combination!

• 1 unseasoned pork tenderloin
• 1/4 cup unsalted walnuts
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1.5 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line baking pan with foil.  Rinse and pat dry pork.  Set aside.  In food processor, chop walnuts until finely ground.  Add panko, thyme, marjoram, salt & pepper, and spin in the food processor until mixed.  Spray pork lightly with cooking spray.  Press walnut mixture over entire tenderloin.  Bake for 25 minutes, then wrap foil around the meat and bake another 10 minutes.  Let sit for 10 minutes, slice, and serve.

Ting-a-Lings!

This easy no-bake cookie is one I remember from my childhood. My Grandma made them and sent them to us every year. Today, this is a favorite in my house.  However, it's true confession in the kitchen time: I have never actually measured the ingredients.  This is a recipe that just looks right when it's ready.  

• semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (about 2 cups)
• chow mein noodles (1 package)
• cocktail peanuts (1 cup or so)

The key is to mix the ingredients until you notice the following: 1) there isn't extra chocolate dripping, and 2) the chow mein noodles and peanuts are well-covered in chocolate.  I start with about 2 cups of chocolate chips, then add 1/2 package of chow mein noodles and mix.  Then I add peanuts - maybe a 1/2 cup.  Back to the noodles, add some more peanuts, and keep tossing until it's well mixed.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet covered in waxed paper. Chill until chocolate hardens.  Keep in a cool place to prevent melting. Bring to room temp just before serving.

Cake Pops!

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program, I received coupons for Duncan Hines products - and with those came motivation to make my first Cake Pops!  We followed the method many have recommended: bake the cake according to package directions, cool completely, crumble it up and add frosting (we used about 3/4 of the can).  Next, we shaped the balls and inserted sticks that were dipped in our candy coating.  After chilling the pops for a half hour (let's hear it for sub-freezing Minnesota temps and a three-season porch off the kitchen!), we returned to the kitchen to dip them into peppermint chocolate coating.  And here was the result!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

This recipe is a variation on one that appears in this month's issue of Clean Eating.

• 25 to 30 small brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 c panko
• salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss brussels sprouts with lemon, oil, vinegar, & garlic. Sprinkle panko over sprouts and toss gently.  Spread in a single layer on a baking pan.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn and return to oven for 10 more minutes.

Ready for the oven.

Ready to eat!

Balsamic Chicken and Onions.

This was one of those "what's in the fridge?" sort of meals that turned out to be rather tasty. It was super simple because it is made with some of my go-to, always-on-hand ingredients: frozen chicken breast strips, red onion, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and fresh herbs.

• a dozen frozen chicken breast strips (boneless, skinless)
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• balsamic vinegar
• olive oil
• sea salt
• pepper
• 1 T each chopped chives, Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 9 x 13 baking pan with foil. Arrange chicken in single layer.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over all chicken pieces. (I was rather generous with the balsamic because I love it!) Sprinkle onion and fresh herbs evenly over chicken. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

This was delicious served with lima beans (my fav!) and red potatoes sprinkled with truffle salt. Yum!

Red Potatoes & Truffle Oil.

I have been a fan of truffle oil for a long time and admittedly, have enjoyed it many (too many) times on really delicious french fries.  I'd never cooked with it myself though.  Last week my favorite grocery store sampled potatoes fried in black truffle oil. I bought a bottle on the spot and went home to create my own recipe. There were no leftovers.

• 1 pound baby red potatoes, halved
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 T black truffle oil
• freshly grated asiago cheese

Bring a pot of water to a boil; add potatoes and cook just until tender. Drain potatoes and transfer to a skillet prepared with cooking spray.  Sprinkle potatoes with rosemary, salt & pepper, and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until potatoes just start to brown.  Add truffle oil and continue cooking 3 more minutes.  Transfer to a serving bowl and generously add freshly grated asiago cheese.  Toss gently and enjoy!