Thyme Pork Chops with Apple and Onion and Candied Carrots

Sprinkled flour (quiona flour is what I used) on a plate. Sprinkled a decent amount of thyme and a little poultry seasoning on the flour, coated the pork chops with it. I sprinkled more seasoning on the flour each time I flipped the pork to make sure the seasoning got on all the meat. Pan fried with some oil over a medium/medium low heat until done. While they were cooking I let half a small onion cook with some olive oil over low heat. While things cooked I peeled and sliced the apple. It was an ambrosia apple which is my new favorite. When the pork was done I set it aside and poured some white wine (Riunite D'Oro is what I had and its a really good wine) in the pan to dissolve the flour and spices that were in the pan. After a minute I added the apples and the cooked onion, mixed it all up, and covered, cooking until the apples were a little tender and the wine was gone, stiring at one point. Added a blog of butter that had been seasoned with parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Stirred the butter in so it would melt then poured it over the pork chops. It was amazing. 

The carrots are just candied in butter and brown sugar. 

This weeks menu

This weeks menu

Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls - Using green and red peppers, zucchini, green onions, and asparagus.

Served with roasted red potatoes and going to attempt Roasted Balsamic Sweet Potatoes

Pork Loin Chops. Planning on just making them with apple and sage although this Pork Tenderloin with Pan Sauce had an amazing flavor so I might end up doing this instead. Its being served with green beans.

Cilantro Chili Chicken Skewers served with a side salad with snow peas and a citrus ginger dressing I have

If I don't use the apple in the pork I may try this for a lunch. Chickpea, Apple and Cashew Salad with Tahini Dressing

 Blackened Chicken and Cilantro Lime Quinoa 

and Steak Kabobs with pineapple, peppers, onion, and I'm not sure yet.

Pork Tenderloin, Wilted Spinach and Cranberry Salad

I'm back on the diet (again) lol. I'm not being super strict again. Everytime I do I feel like crap. I've been about 50-60 carbs the last 3 days. I figure thats not too bad. I'm mainly avoiding the granola bar, 3 cookies, and 2 mikes lemonades lol.

I thought I'd write down what I made yesterday though because it was amazing.



I made this pork. Basically you look a pork loin like normal, I used salt and pepper and seared the outside, then baked it for about 20 minutes at 425. Then when its almost done, maybe 5-10 degrees away, I took it out and mixed some dijon mustard and some real seedy stone ground regular mustard and put that all over it. Then I carefully patted some brown sugar on it while hitting the thermometer and burning my hand lol. I used as little brown sugar as possible. I baked it till done. It was quite amazing.

I then made a wilted spinach cranberry salad. I looked at recipes online but couldn't find one so made it up. It was frozen cranberries, maybe 1 tablespoon of white sugar, some water. I simmered it till it started to combine. Then remembered pepper and added a small dash of that. I added maybe a tsp of olive oil, then a bunch of spinach and turned off the heat and put a lid on it. After a few minutes I tossed it all up. It was delicious!

That was all served with deviled eggs. It was somewhere between 20-30 carbs for the whole meal. It was great too.


Tonight was bacon cheeseburgers with coleslaw. Again, delicious.

corn & chickpea fiesta salad with cilantro-lime vinaigrette

http://www.ateaspoonofhappiness.com/corn-chickpea-fiesta-salad-with-cilantro-lime-vinaigrette/

Made this with orange pepper, no tomatoes, only a tiny bit of onion, and deseeded regular cucumber. Oh and a little red wine vinegar in the dressing. Its quite good. Needs some chicken or something with it though.

Also, the dressing is amazing on regular salad.

corn & chickpea fiesta salad with cilantro-lime vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups corn (fresh, frozen, canned....whatever you prefer, but if you're using canned corn make sure to drain and rinse it)

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about a 1 pound container)

1 green pepper, diced

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 English cucumber, chopped

Dressing:

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

4 tbsp lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a big bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and stir until everything is mixed well.
2. Refrigerate until serving or at least for a half an hour to let the flavors blend.