Pork Chops:
3 boneless pork chops, about 1.5" thick
1/2 tbsp. canola oil
Spring Mix salad blend
Cooked Orzo or Rice, 1/2 c. per person
1/2 Small white onion, divided.

Spice Blend: 1/2 tbsp. dried basil, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp. salt

Bruschetta:
1 Roma tomato
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
3 garlic cloves, minced

Add canola oil to pan, and turn on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, sprinkle spice blend on pork chops (as much or as little as you like) and rub in. When oil is hot, add pork to pan, spiced side down.

Dice half of divided onion and roma tomato and place in a bowl. Add basil, olive oil, salt, and minced garlic. Mix well and set aside.

After 5-7 minutes, or when nicely browned, flip over pork chops. Slice remaining onion and pan fry with pork. If pan is drying out before pork is cooked, add a little water and cover. Cook until pork reaches 150*F (for more information on internal temperatures of pork, read here) and remove from heat. When onions are nicely carmelized, remove from heat.

To assemble place 1/2-1 c. of salad greens on each plate. Add 1/2 c. of cooked pasta or rice to each plate, layering on top of greens. Slice pork and arrange on top of pasta, then sprinkle with a few onions. Spoon over bruschetta, and garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

#testkitchen
​Recipe Development by Stacy Westman, The Meals Maven.

I know I've mentioned it many times, but I hate wasting food. I spend a lot of time budgeting for everything from haircuts to groceries, and if I'm spending money on food which then gets thrown out, I might as well be flushing $20 down the toilet or using it to light a candle twice a month. 

This last week of the month we have little bits and pieces left of a few items. For lunch yesterday I decided to use up some wraps by making a small portion of saucy, stir-fried peppers, onions, garlic, and leftover pork loin from the freezer.

4-6 whole wheat wraps
1-1.5 c. leftover pork, sliced
2-2.5 c. sliced bell peppers, about 2 large
1 small sliced onion (I used red, but it can be any)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2-3/4 c. low-sodium chicken stock
1 tbsp olive oil

Heat oil in frying pan on medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add spices and flour, mix well with onion mixture, and add chicken stock, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired sauce consistency is reached. Add peppers and stir to combine, then continue cooking until they are heated through. Add pork, and stir to combine, heating just until the peppers are tender-crisp. Serve with a small sprinkle of grated cheese on the meat mixture before rolling up, if desired.

Leftover roast pork loin marries the bright flavour of strawberries with fresh baby spinach and a tasty balsamic vinaigrette. Love at first bite! A Meals Maven exclusive recipe.

Whole Wheat Pitas, 1/2 per person
Diced leftover pork, 1/2c/ per person
Baby spinach, 1 c. per person
1/4 c. sliced strawberries
Toasted sliced almonds and sesame seeds, if desired
Finely grated mozzarella cheese, 1 tbsp.
Balsamic dressing, 1 tbsp per person

Mix pork with dressing and toasted almonds. Layer in pita, alternating spinach, pork, and strawberries. As you can see I ran out of room in my pita for all the spinach and pork, but I ate those on the side. Pictured below is the full meal I set out for everyone to make their own dinner. 

I think a practical joke was played on us several years ago. I was informed- by more than one person- that red curry is the most mild of Thai curries, and that green was the most spicy. Twice I used red curry, the second time just half of what I used the first time. Both times the meals smelled so delicious- and were way too spicy for us to eat.
Imagine my pleasure to discover that green curry is not spicy! I bought a jar of what I thought was curry paste but was in fact a cooking sauce. It was a good entry into Thai food. Very mild.

1 jar Sharwood's Green Thai Curry cooking sauce
2 large garlic cloves
1 small onion, sliced (about 3/4c.)
1/2 c. sliced zucchini
1/2 c. diced carrots
1/2 c. diced celery
1 c. diced red bell pepper
3 1/4 c. pork tenderloin, cut into strips
2 c. cooked rice
2 tbsp pure creamed coconut
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Heat a skillet with olive oil. then add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables except the garlic, and cook until they start to soften. Add the garlic and pork, and saute until the pork starts to cook. Add the cooking sauce, stirring in, and simmer until the pork is cooked completely, about 15 minutes.

I stirred creamed coconut into my rice while it was cooking, It's a very subtle flavour.

We had company for dinner, and 3 of us went back for seconds, so this made a lot of food.

Once a month we usually roast a gigantic pork loin purchased from Costco. This one was 3.584kg when we started, and the reason I know that is because how long you cook it at a high heat is dependent on how much it weighs. We served this for a family dinner party a few months ago and my cousin, upon seeing it sitting on the cutting board, said (to the amusement of my boys) "What is that, a dinosaur tongue?"
I have been making pork loin exactly this same way every time since I discovered this recipe. There is NO going back. Gone are the days of tough, dry, less-than-tasty. Hello delicious.

Large pork loin - know the weight, in pounds (mine was 7.901lbs)
Spice Rub of your choice- I like: 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Start by pre-heating your oven to 500*F. Get that roast in a large roasting pan, dry off any excess liquids- you don't want it dripping into the pan or there will be burning- then rub the spice blend all over. 
Put it into the oven (I use my bottom rack) just like this- no cover, no liquid in the pan. Cook at 5.5 minutes per pound exactly- set the timer- and here's the magical part: when that timer goes off, turn off your oven, and set the timer again for 45mins-1 hr.
Do NOT open your oven door.
When the timer goes off again, pull it out- check the internal temperature- it should be 145*. Let rest 10 mins. or so before slicing.
I promise, this works. It sounds scary to leave it in the oven and it goes against every instinct not to open that oven door, but trust the process.

Verdict: Every time, a unanimous "Mom, this is the best roast ever!" from both boys. Husband and I enjoy every bite.
And the leftovers = awesome meal starter. Thai pork wraps, pork and potato chowder, pork stir-fry, etc.

I really enjoy Indian Curry. One time I made it so often my husband pleaded with me to not make it again for at least 6 months! It's been a while since I last made a curry dish and decided that tonight would be a great night for curry. It's a soccer night, but I started the recipe last night so putting it together won't take too long. It's a Meals Maven exclusive!

Marinade Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp yellow curry powder
4 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 splash of white vinegar

Main Dish Ingredients:
1-2 lb. uncooked pork loin, cut into small cubes
1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 c. cream of mushroom soup (I used a can of condensed because I ran out of time)
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 small diced yellow onion
1 c. diced bell peppers
1 tbsp yellow curry powder
1 tsp dried sweet basil
pinch of nutmeg
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 tbsp. whole wheat flour
2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach

Mix all marinade ingredients together, and mix into cubed pork. Marinade for several hours or overnight. Practice food safety- marinade in the refigerator!

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a deep skillet pan. Add onions, and cook until softened. Add mushrooms and bell peppers, and continue cooking until mushrooms are softened. Add the spices and minced garlic, and cook until garlic is browning. Mix in flour, and then pork. Stir well. When pork is starting to brown, add soup. Cook at a gentle simmer until pork is fully cooked, about 10 minutes longer. Turn off the heat and stir in baby spinach just before serving. It will wilt quickly.

We're eating this with Basmati rice today.

Verdict: First son said "Make it again, seriously!" and asked for leftovers in his lunch. Second son didn't try it because he's had an upset tummy. Husband said "It's pretty good, but I don't care for the green stuff in it".
So there you go. We'll be eating this again, just not too soon!