Island Pork Tenderloin

Island Pork Tenderloin

 For spice rub:
2 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 pork tenderloins (2 ¼ - 2 ½ lbs total) trimmed
2 tbsp olive oil 

For Glaze:
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp Tabasco (or hot sauce)

Stir the spice rub ingredients together in a small bowl and rub all over the pork. Heat oil in ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over medium high heat. Brown pork, turning occasionally, about 4-5 minutes total. 

Remove from heat, but leave pork in skillet. Stir together brown sugar, garlic and Tabasco in a small bowl. Pat the mixture on top of the pork. Place skillet in the oven at 350. Roast until thermometer inserted diagonally into the center of each tenderloin registers 140 degrees, about 20 minutes. Let pork stand in skillet, loosely covered with foil for 10 minutes.

OR if you are like Nate and I and want to throw it in the crock pot and leave it at that here is what we did and it was fabulous:

Stir the spice rub ingredients together in a small bowl and rub all over the pork. Place in crock pot. Stir the glaze ingredients together and pour over pork. Leave on low for 5-6 hours (we did 6 but could have done a touch less) and then shred and serve over rice (preferably jasmine rice because it is the bomb diggity.)

This was seriously the most amazing thing ever! Don't leave anything out, no matter how weird it sounds!! It was slightly sweet but not too sweet and not at all hot so don't worry about trimming down on the hot sauce.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Cabbage

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Yield: 4 to 5 servings
Serving Size: 2 cabbage rolls

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 medium head (about 2 pounds) green cabbage
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup cooked rice (white or brown)
1/4 cup raisins (I omitted these)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 can (16 ounces) tomato sauce (I used tomato soup and put about 2 tsp of various seasonings that I love instead of the paprika)
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 teaspoon paprika
sour cream, for serving (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13- by 9-inch pan with cooking spray or oil.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Using a small, sharp knife, cut in a circle all around the stem of the cabbage and remove the core. Place the cabbage in the boiling water. After about 2 minutes an outside leaf will come loose--pull it off and out of the water using tongs. After another minute the next leaf will come loose. Remove and repeat until you have 8 to 10 leaves. Pat the leaves dry with paper towels. Cut out the thick part of the rib from the bottom of each leaf, but don't cut more than a third of the way into the leaf.

In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, cooled onion, rice, raisins, and salt. With the stem side of the cabbage leaf facing you, place a scant 1/3 cup of the beef mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold the bottom edge over the mixture and then fold the sides over and roll into a tidy packet. Place the cabbage rolls, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.

In a bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, broth, and paprika. Pour evenly over the cabbage rolls. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

Optional: Serve the cabbage rolls with a big dollop of sour cream.

Source: Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible

*Healthy* Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ok, before you read the ingredients and say, "Ew, gross!" I want to testify that this cake is amazing! I made it for my friend's birthday party and the whole thing was completely gone! It tastes JUST like regular chocolate cake! It is simply fantastic! I just used frosting from a can though so I can't testify to the goodness of the frosting. 


Enjoy!

Makes a 9" one layer cake

Ingredients:

• 1-15 ounce can of unseasoned black beans OR 1 1/2 cup cooked beans, any color
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted organic butter OR unrefined coconut oil (I used olive oil)
• 3/4 cup erythritol + 1/2 teaspoon pure stevia extract OR 1/2 cup honey + 1 teaspoon pure stevia extract OR 1 1/4 cup Splenda (using Splenda is not recommended) (I used 1/2 cup honey + 1 tsp brown sugar)
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon water (omit if using honey)

Mint Chocolate variation:
2 teaspoons mint extract (in place of 2 teaspoons vanilla)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9" cake pan with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray, or just grease it with a thin layer of butter. Dust cocoa all over the inside of the pan, tapping to evenly distribute. Cut a round of parchment paper and line the bottom of the pan, then spray the parchment lightly.

Drain and rinse beans in a strainer or colander. Shake off excess water. Place beans, 3 of the eggs, vanilla, stevia (if using) and salt into blender. Blend on high until beans are completely liquefied. No lumps! Whisk together cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat butter with sweetener (erythritol or honey) until light and fluffy. Add remaining two eggs, beating for a minute after each addition. Pour bean batter into egg mixture and mix. Finally, stir in cocoa powder and water (if using), and beat the batter on high for one minute, until smooth. Scrape batter into pan and smooth the top. Grip pan firmly by the edges and rap it on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cake is done with the top is rounded and firm to the touch. After 10 minutes, turn out cake from pan, and flip over again on to a cooling rack. Let cool until cake reaches room temperature, then cover in plastic wrap or with cake dome (I use an overturned plastic chip bowl). For BEST flavor, let cake sit over night. I promise this cake will not have a hint of beaniness after letting it sit for eight hours! If you are stacking this cake, level the top with a long serrated knife, shaving off layers until it is flat and even. Frost immediately before serving

~57.6g net carbs for the whole cake using erythritol/stevia.
~5.7g net carbs per 1/10th
~125.6g net carbs for the whole cake using honey/stevia.
~12.56g net carbs per 1/10th

Recipe for cake and frosting *healthier* frosting found here

Crockpot Chicken Chili

I made this last Sunday and it was SOOOO good! Makes a lot and reheats great. I added 1 can corn, 1 can red kidney beans, and 1 can great northern beans. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Verde

Recipe type: Entree

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 4 hours 30 mins

Total time: 4 hours 45 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 1/2 bell peppers, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans tomato sauce
• 1 large onion, chopped coarse
• 1 7-oz can green chiles, minced
• 3/4 cup beef broth (I used chicken)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tsp ground cumin (I used 1 t)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp salt, to taste
• 2 jalepenos, chopped fine (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare your ingredients.
2. Combine all ingredients in a crock pot.
3. Cook on high for 4 1/2 hours.
4. With 30 minutes left, shred chicken, then stir. (if you have a kitchenaid, throw chicken in there and let it do the shredding)
5. Serve with taco and burrito fixings. Is also delicious plain! (we just ate it as chili)

Crab Tacos

This is for Nadine:

Recipe Time

Total: 40 Minutes

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 200
• Calories from fat: 54%
• Protein: 11g
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated fat: 3.8g
• Carbohydrate: 13g
• Fiber: 1.7g
• Sodium: 210mg
• Cholesterol: 43mg

Ingredients

• 4 Roma tomatoes, halved, seeded, and sliced $
• 1 large garlic clove, minced $
• 2 large jalapeño chiles, halved, seeded, and sliced, divided 
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice $
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil $
• 1/2 cup chopped onion $
• 8 ounces shelled cooked crab $
• 8 taco shells or tortillas (see Notes) $
• 1 cup Iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced $
• 1 cup shredded jack or cheddar cheese $
• 1 avocado, thinly sliced $
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Put tomatoes, garlic, half of the jalapeño, 1/4 cup cilantro, and the lime juice in a food processor and pulse a few times to chop. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set salsa aside.
2. 2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and remaining jalapeño until soft, 4 minutes. Add crab and cook just until crab is warm, about 2 minutes.
3. 3. Put taco shells or tortillas on a baking pan and warm in oven, about 3 minutes. Arrange on a platter and fill with crab mixture, dividing evenly. Top crab with lettuce, cheese, and avocado. Sprinkle tacos with green onion and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro. Serve immediately, with salsa on the side or on top.
4. Note: Nutritional analysis is per taco.

Judith S. Liebman, Urbana, IL, Sunset
APRIL 2008

Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

1/2 lb  frozen spinach; thawed and drained well
1 lb ricotta, drained
2 large eggs, plus 2 yolks
3/4 C grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 C All Purpose Flour

Mix all of the ingredients until incorporated. Knead to form a smooth dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 min. Cut dough into 4 even pieces. Roll one piece at a time into a 1" thick rope. Cut into 1/4"  pieces. (this doesn't have to be very accurate or perfect. Just try to make them remotely the same size for even cooking)
Bring 6 quarts water to a boil, then salt. Drop gnocchi into boiling water and remove once they float to the surface. Can be tossed with pesto, tomato sauce or olive oil and sprinkle with more cheese.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 T brown sugar (don’t sub!)
3 T plus 1 tsp white sugar (If you have no sweet tooth you can omit)
4 T chocolate chips
2 T oil or pre-melted margarine (I use olive oil)
4 T *milk (But if you are doubling this recipe, use 6 or 7 T)

Blend first 5 ingredients together. (I use a my regular old blender.) Mix with other ingredients, form into cookie shapes, and place on a greased cookie sheet. Cook 6 minutes at 375 F.

Makes 12-16 cookies (depending on how big you like them!)

*to make this dairy free, just use and non-dairy milk.

I know these are gluten free, egg free and potentially dairy free and might sound a little scary but trust me, they are AMAZING! We have made them about a dozen times in the last two months we like them so much. If you want them to taste even more fluffy, add 1/4 tsp of baking soda.