Pineapple Pork

I've been craving Chinese food, something a little rich and smoky with a bit of sweetness and it just wouldn't be summer if we didn't manage to cram fruit into every meal of the day. 

Creating and making a meal feels like such an indulgence to me right now; when we are in the school year I am typically in school, too. So although we have weekly standards, they rarely fall into the "fun, festive, culturally expansive" categories and instead land with a thud in the categories no one is too proud to advertise. Like..."leftover scramble night" or "hash night". I'm planning on doing some writing about meal planning, which I find stressful and a bit deceiving but right now I can say that when I'm busy, it shows up on the plate. Frustrating for me as I'm someone who loves to cook and sit down to a meal made with some feeling behind it. So when things do slow down a little, I often have moments of, "Hey! I'm not doing anything...I could cook. Actual food!" Tonight was one of those nights and so, instead of asking around to see if anyone had something left in their lunch they could eat for dinner (it happened once in a moment of desperation) I made something I knew would at least get marks for being colorful and hot. Luckily, it totally filled my take-out cravings. 

One piece of advice for this recipe, and cooking in general - If you use the pork tenderloin as suggested, don't be afraid to ask your butcher to prep it for you by removing the silvery skin you'll notice on the cut. Taking it off makes a big difference!! I've found that most people working behind the counter are happy to take an extra step for you. If they don't have pork tenderloin or that's not in your budget at the moment, ask what they have that would work for a stir-fry. I've learned so much (and gotten a lot of free/discounted stuff) over the years just by being conversational and expressing an interest when I'm putting in my order. 

Tonight we had this with rice and baby bok choy and white snap peas (who knew) from our CSA. Since the pork is really flavorful, just add about 1/2 cup chicken stock to a small, shallow pan, put it on medium high then add your baby bok choy and spread a few handfuls of snap peas around. Cover with a lid and steam for 5 minutes. Perfection! 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/8 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp garlic powder

4 tbsp coconut oil or cooking oil of your choice

1 onion, cut into large dice

1 green or red pepper, also cut into large dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, minced

2 stalks thin, crisp, very green celery (sorry, this is not negotiable. clean out the vegetable drawer another day)

2 cups pineapple chunks, juice reserved

1 lb pork tenderloin or other tender cut, chopped into large bite-sized pieces

Pineapple Sauce

1/4 cup coconut aminos

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (rice vinegar would work, too)

1/4 cup pineapple juice

1 tbsp arrowroot powder (cornstarch would also be fine)

Sesame seeds and green onions for garnish

First, prepare the pork. Mix the sea salt, paprika, cayenne pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl and once the pork is cut up, open the paper it came wrapped in and spread it out on the counter. Arrange the pork in a single layer, sprinkle it with the rub then work it in work your hands. Once it's all mixed evenly, loosely wrap the paper and set it aside while you prepare the other ingredients (effective AND saves a dish). After all the vegetables are chopped, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or wok. Once hot, adjust heat to medium high and add pork, tossing occasionally and working it around the pan to get a nice sear on all the pieces. Remove the pork from the pan with a slotted spoon and put into a bowl. Add remaining tablespoon oil to the pan quickly followed by the onions, peppers and celery. Reduce heat slightly and cook until the onions are translucent and you're just starting to see a few dark spots here and there. Add the garlic and ginger and continue stirring for 2-4 minutes. 

While this cooks, combine the coconut aminos, vinegar, pineapple juice and arrowroot in a small pyrex. Add the pork back to the pan and pour the sauce over. Stir to mix it all together then let it cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 7 minutes. Add the pineapple chunks, stir, then remove from heat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions to serve (or definitely do not if you have someone who will run from the table screaming at the sight of a bright green onion). Enjoy! 

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-fry with Ginger and Basil

The arrival of soccer season means spring is just around the corner! Birds are chirping, there are clothes drying on the line outside, cleats are missing and I'm frantically trying to have dinner ready for everyone before 7pm three nights a week.

Along with the slow cooker and batch cooking (which makes me feel like a caterer and I dislike doing immensely) stir-frying is a huge help. I can prep all the ingredients and make rice earlier in the day and throw it together when we rush in the door or just cook the whole thing ahead of time and it still tastes delicious. This is our current favorite.

Supplies:

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and cut into 1/4" strips
4 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup minced ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp arrowroot powder
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup rinsed, basil leaves
Juice of 1/2 lime, with wedges to serve
Salt to taste

Instructions:

Heat a large skillet, 10-12", over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp coconut oil, melt, then add chicken and chili flakes. While chicken cooks combine stock, fish sauce, arrowroot and whisk to incorporate. Once chicken is cooked nearly through (barely pink in the center) remove from pan with a slotted spoon and put in a bowl. Lower heat to medium, add remaining coconut oil and ginger. Once ginger is just turning golden brown, return chicken to pan and add stock mixture. Toss in broccoli and stir thoroughly. Lower the heat slightly and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked completely, the sauce has thickened a bit and the broccoli is bright green. Add basil leaves, stir and cook until just wilted. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and squeeze the lime juice over the entire dish, then serve.

We like to eat ours with day old rice that's heated with a generous amount of grass fed butter and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the whole thing.

**If you're looking for a vegetable stir-fry just sub the chicken with lots of other vegetables and swap the fish sauce for coconut aminos.

Brilliant Green Detox Soup

I've been learning a lot more lately about the connection between hormone balancing and our livers. I find it so fascinating and have had really great results getting my moods and energy levels to even out by diligently taking extra care of my liver. Funny though, that just thinking of the word "liver" conjures up all kinds of yucky images for me; the dreaded liver and onion dinner of childhood, liver spots, those nasty photos they showed you in middle school as a warning against alcoholism. So, to help me treat my liver with kindness I find myself imagining it like a cloud of glowing golden light, tucked deep into my right side, radiating out goodness and constantly cleansing those hormones that make me crave chocolate and red wine, which make me so happy, right before they make me so very, very sad. And the hormones that cause me to burst into tears when I see an old man with a walker waiting at a bus stop. Say what you will about pregnancy hormones but people often fail to mention that postpartum "super feelings" are like surfing North Shore waves and can take a long time to settle down. So I'm doing some weird stuff, like castor oil packs and tinctures but I'm also doing some fun stuff, like eating and drinking things that instantly make me feel like I can leap over small buildings. Plus, I've found that 2 out of 3 kids love this soup and one eats it grudgingly so I think that's as good as it's getting around here.

We've been living off batches of it for weeks now, with slight variations and tweaks but we've enjoyed every batch. I have it for breakfast with some extra protein like bacon or sausage and the baby and I usually have a little bowl at lunch, where we clink our spoons together, say "Cheers!" and laugh hysterically, over and over. Today we needed this because last night there were SIX BOYS sleeping under our roof. Seven counting my husband but I decided to call him Elise for the night so I wouldn't feel so overrun with testosterone. The boys were all so fun and we had a great time but I'm pretty sure they were running the entire time they were with us, save for the hours they were passed out (which was not many). They ran like hooligans all through our little town on the way to a college basketball game up the hill from us and this morning they were out the door by 7, like a band of marauding pirates, not to be seen until parents showed up. They only way I knew they hadn't escaped was the occasional demand for food and water through the screen door. By the time everyone went home my kids looked like hell. Dirty faces, holes in all their socks, dried grass covering their clothes and I found last night's popcorn buried in one's hair. What a great time! My only wish, in that moment, was to be a kid again, to play that hard, to be so immersed, so lost in what you're doing that you forget yourself completely, totally unaware that you're still in your own backyard. And then plates of pepperoni, oranges, apples, crackers and raw cheese suddenly appear out of nowhere. Heaven.

Supplies:

2 tbsp ghee or avocado oil
1/2 large onion or 1 whole small onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups broccoli, chopped
2 leeks, white parts only, sliced horizontally, rinsed well and dried thoroughly with a dish towel
4-5 cups spinach (I use a whole 16oz. bag frozen)
6 cups chicken stock
1 tsp turmeric
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Herbamare (optional)

*To make this vegan-friendly it's so simple to swap out cooking fats and stock

Instructions:

Heat ghee or oil in a large dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and stir. After a couple minutes add leeks, stirring to combine again. Once leeks start to soften, add broccoli and cook, stirring often, until broccoli is bright green. Add the turmeric and some salt and pepper (and Herbamare, if using), stir, then add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the broccoli is soft. Add the spinach and allow to wilt, then squeeze in the lemon juice. I usually start with half of the lemon, then check to see how it tastes after I put it through the blender. I'll add the rest and stir it in while I'm reheating on the stovetop. Allow the soup to cool for a bit, then pureé in batches in the blender. I've had it both slightly chunky and pureéd very smooth and like them both, but I would say my preference is more smooth. Gently reheat on the stove.