Condiments + Seasonings

Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic Citrus Vinaigrette

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So I sit here at my keyboard wondering how I can explain to you in words what the 4 o’clock hour is like in our house.  How can I put it eloquently?  What sort of words can I use to give you a visual in your head?  But I’m blank.  You want to know the only thing that comes to my mind?  That old game show, Supermarket Sweep.  No, I have not been using illegal drugs.   Seriously, do you remember that show?  The one where the people go absolutely insane running through the grocery store filling their carts with nonsense because they are running out of time.  They look ridiculous…panicked and yelling running down the aisles grabbing food off the shelves.  That’s EXACTLY how I feel inside during the 4 o’clock hour.  Minus the chance to win $5000.  Huge bummer.

The kids are awake from naps…and getting hungry.  Nick is close to heading home.  I’m getting snacks, cleaning up drool, folding laundry, changing diapers, making dinner, taking photos and writing recipes as I go all while hearing “Mommy, watch this” over.  And over.  And over.  Love it, but I gotta tell you…sometimes I need a break from our typical 4 o clock hour.  Which is when I go right to this recipe.  Easy peasy.  I make the vinaigrette while the kids are napping-which takes approximately 34 seconds-so all there is to do is grill the pork for a whopping ten minutes when Nick gets home.  It’s super fresh tasting and the vinaigrette tastes wonderful on any grilled meat, fish or veggies…or tossed with mixed greens.  But these grilled pork chops are our favorite way to enjoy it.  So give this one a shot on your next hectic afternoon…it beats playing make-believe ’90’s game shows any day.

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Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic Citrus Vinaigrette

adapted from Gourmet, July 2007

Ingredients

4 Boneless Pork Chops, about 1 inch thick

1/3 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Course Black Pepper

1/2 Tablespoon Salt

1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice

1/4 Cup Fresh Orange Juice

3 Garlic Cloves

3 Tablespoons Cilantro Leaves

2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard

1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

Place 1/3 cup olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, garlic, cilantro, dijon and crushed red pepper flakes in a small blender.  Process until combined and garlic is completely blended.  Set aside.

Preheat the grill to medium high heat.  Rub 2 tablespoons olive oil over the pork chops and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.  Grill the chops for ten minutes, or until cooked through, flipping once in the middle of cooking.  Serve pork chops with vinaigrette drizzled over the top.  Serves 4

 

Mediterranean Chicken with Garlic Sauce

~ nourishedpeach ~ 2 Comments

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If you have ever eaten at a Lebanese restaurant or been blessed enough to experience schwarma I’m sure you’ll catch my drift here.  That garlic sauce?  Obsessed.  Like, eat-it-with-a-spoon-obsessed.  It’s tart and bold
and has the perfect bite to it…and quite frankly you could put it on top of anything and it would be delicious.  But over this grilled chicken?  Accompanied by this juicy, simple tomato salad?  My gosh, people, it’s almost unacceptable it tastes so good.

Traditional Lebanese garlic sauce is made with vegetable oil, garlic and lemon….but emulsifying the oil and lemon juice can get a bit tedious and the results are so inconsistent; not to mention that vegetable oil isn’t necessarily the most healthy.  So, in an effort to simplify the process, health it up and make it no-fail each and every time I came up with my own non traditional recipe that truly tastes just as good.  We use this sauce for so many different things.  It’s fabulous with any grilled meat or fish, works beautifully as a dressing for green salads and makes a great dip for veggies, pizza, anything, really.  Now I must warn you…it is spicy.  Not burn-your-mouth spicy but it has a strong bite to it from the garlic.  Feel free to use 2-3 garlic cloves instead of 4 if you are afraid it will be too much bite for you..4 is great for us, even my 2 year old loves it.

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This is such  a simple, quick meal and pairs beautifully with rice or roasted potatoes…perfect for welcoming the spring sunshine.

Mediterranean Chicken with Garlic Sauce

Note: four cloves of garlic will give you a pretty big bite in this sauce..i stick with 3 for my family and it’s still very garlicky..but if you’re feeling edgy, use four;)

Ingredients

For the Garlic Sauce

3-4 Cloves Garlic, see note above

1 Cup Whole Fat Greek Yogurt

2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoons Mayonaise

3/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

For the Tomato Salad

1/2 Cup Chopped Cucumber

1/4 Cup Thinly Sliced Red Onion

3/4 Cup Halved Cherry Tomatoes

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/8 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley or 1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley Flakes

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

For the Chicken

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Greek Seasoning

1 Pound Chicken Breast Filets

Directions

For the Garlic Sauce

Place garlic in the bowl of a food processor or blender and process until the garlic is finely chopped, about 30 seconds.  Scrape the sides of the bowl to get the garlic pieces to the bottom and add the yogurt, lemon juice, mayonnaise and salt and process until combined, 30 seconds.  With the motor running, stream in the olive oil slowly and process until completely combined, about 1 minute.

For the Tomato Salad

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

For the Chicken

Preheat the grill over medium high heat.  Sprinkle the chicken with Greek seasoning, drizzle it with olive oil and toss to coat evenly.  Grill the filets for 8 minutes or until cooked through, flipping once after 4 minutes.  Remove from heat, top with tomato salad and drizzle with garlic sauce.  Serves 2-3.

Ranch Seasoning Mix

~ nourishedpeach ~ 1 Comment

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We are the ranch generation. We dip with it and dress with it…not literally, like dress salads and such.  Geez, get your mind out of the gutter!  I am as guilty as the next gal for seriously loving the taste of those store bought packets of ranch seasoning that you add to ingredients to make dips, dressings, sauces, lots of goods.  Once in a while  I just want a salad with creamy buttermilk ranch dressing or some ranch to put on my wrap or sandwich.  After trying a zillion shots at duplicating the store bought kind I’ve finally got one that is truly a winner.  It tastes amazing, is a fraction of the cost and you have complete control over what goes into it; none of those scary words that you cant pronounce on this ingredient list.  Another perk?  Offer ranch dressing as a dip for those certain foods your husbands kids refuse to eat and they will no longer refuse…tricky tricky, eh?  I make a big batch in about 2 minutes and keep it on hand stored in an air tight container…it’s shelf life would last you months but theres no way your bellies will allow it to stay there that long.  Two minutes well spent, my friends.

Ranch Seasoning Mix

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Dried Parsley

1 1/2 Tablespoons Onion Powder

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Dried Dillweed

2 Teaspoons Salt

2 Teaspoons Pepper

1 Teaspoon Dried Chives

Pinch of Cayenne Pepper, optional

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight container for up to 6 months.  Makes about 1/2 cup seasoning.

Notes:  although you can use this seasoning mix for a million different things, buttermilk ranch dressing is a common use in this house

Just whisk together

2 tablespoons of the seasoning

1 Cup either mayo/sour cream/greek yogurt (or any combination of the three)

1/3-1/2 cup buttermilk, depending on how thin you like it

1 Tablespoon White Vinegar, optional

Taco Seasoning

~ nourishedpeach ~ 7 Comments

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Those little packets you buy at the grocery store are quick and convenient and they don’t taste half bad, if I do say so myself.  But have you ever considered the benefits of keeping your own homemade seasoning mix on hand?  I’m being completely honest when I tell you it takes about 1 minute and 42 seconds to make and the taste is REAL and delicious.  Have you ever looked at the ingredient lists of the store bought packets?  Here is one example for you to view.  I encourage you to compare that ingredient list with the one below…and then get your cute butt in the kitchen and test out the below one; you’ll never go back to the old, store-bought alternative.  Healthy lifestyles don’t come in a quick-fix fancy detox, pill, drink or powder; they come by making tiny, simple, achievable changes like this, one at a time, for the benefit of ourselves and our children.

Taco Seasoning

2 Tablespoons Chili Powder

3 Teaspoons Cumin

2 Teaspoons Salt

2 Teaspoons Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon Paprika (smoked paprika is wonderful in this)

3/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

3/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1/4 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight container for up to 6 months.  Makes about 1/3 cup seasoning.

Note: Basic Tacos: For 1 pound of ground beef or turkey I mix in 3 tablespoons taco seasoning and 1/3 cup water.

Basil Pesto

~ nourishedpeach ~ 2 Comments

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The basil in my itty bitty little garden is about the only thing out there thats really impressing me these days.  It’s beautiful, fragrant, so plentiful and it just keeps replenishing itself and I can’t keep up!  Pesto is an awesome way to utilize all of the delicious basil this time of year and this recipe is just top notch….and so ridiculously simple.  It’s perfect for just about anything, one of those things I absolutely love to have on hand in the fridge.  Toss a large spoonful in with fresh tomatoes and cooked pasta, put it on sandwiches of any sort, use as the perfect “sauce” for pizza or just eat it as a dip with crackers, veggies, and proteins like fish or chicken; it makes for such quick, bright, flavorful meals.  A nourishing tool to take any meal from ok to superb.

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Basil Pesto

Note:  I prefer my pesto on the smooth end vs the chunky end…if you like the texture to be a little more chunky puree it very briefly just until the olive oil is incorporated.

Ingredients

2 Cups Lightly Packed Fresh Basil Leaves

3 Garlic Cloves

1 Cup Pine Nuts

1 Cup Fresh Shredded Parmesan

1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

3/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/8 Teaspoon Black Pepper

3/4 Cup Olive Oil

Directions

Add basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and process for 30 seconds or until garlic and pine nuts are finely ground.  With the motor running, stream in olive oil and process for 1-2 minutes or until oil is completely incorporated and the pesto sauce is at your desired texture.  Makes 2 Cups

Mixed Green Summer Salad

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I made this salad for company last night and received wonderful reviews;  I, personally, can not wait to have it again.  (you’d think I’d learn to stop trying new recipe ideas and experimenting on company…thankfully it did not backfire this time; livin on the edge over here, folks) It makes a wonderful side dish but would also be the perfect main dish with a grilled chicken breast on top.  A crave-able combination:  creamy goat cheese and avocado, sweet, bright, juicy nectarine, smokey bacon, crunchy pine nuts and a tangy vinaigrette.  Summer-fabulous.

Mixed Green Summer Salad

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette:

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

2 Teaspoons Honey

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

For the Salad:

5-8 Ounces MIxed Greens

1 Nectarine, diced

1 Avocado, diced

4 Slices Nitrate and Nitrite Free Bacon, cooked and chopped

3 Ounces Goat Cheese, crumbled

1/4 Cup Pine Nuts

Directions

Make vinaigrette:  in a medium bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, dijon, honey, salt and pepper until it begins to thicken and is completely combined.  Set aside.  Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Assemble salad:   combine greens, nectarine, avocado, bacon, goat  cheese and pine nuts in a large bowl.  Drizzle with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette and toss gently.  Serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Parmesan Dressing

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This will turn non salad lovers into believers.  It’s tangy, cheesy, creamy and light; use it for green salads, pasta salads, veggie dip and more.  My favorite way to serve it?  Drizzled on a salad of romaine, tomato, banana peppers, salami, red onion, black olives and shredded parmesan.  Num.

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Parmesan Dressing

Ingredients

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan

1/4 Cup Mayo

1/4 Cup Sour Cream

2 Garlic Cloves

2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Honey

1 Teaspoon Dried Italian Seasoning

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/8 Teaspoon Pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients except for olive oil in a food processor or blender.  Blend for one minute or until all ingredients are mixed well and garlic is completely broken down.  Stream in olive oil and blend until combined.  Store in the fridge for up to one week.

Blackened Pork Loin with Nectarine-Avocado Salsa

~ nourishedpeach ~ 3 Comments

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I have tried every fruit salsa to top pork in the book:  pineapple, mango, strawberry, you name it and this nectarine-avocado combination is absolutely positively the best one yet, holy smokes.  Sweet from the nectarine, creamy from the avocado, acidic from the tomato and the garlic gives it an awesome bite; and it all pairs beautifully with the smokey pork.  Nectarines are just simply perfect this time of year…I can’t get enough and this recipe is an awesome, healthful, light way to utilize the juicy fruit.

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Blackened Pork Loin with Nectarine-Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

For the Pork:

1 1/2 Pound Boneless Pork Loin

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3/4 Tablespoon Blackened Seasoning

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

For the Salsa:

1 Ripe Nectarine, chopped into small pieces

1 Small Tomato, chopped into small pieces

1 Clove Garlic, grated or pressed

1 1/2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro

2 Teaspoons Lime Juice

1 Teaspoon Olive Oil

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

Pinch of Pepper

1 Acovado, diced small

Directions

For the Pork:

Heat grill over high.  Rub olive oil, blackened seasoning and salt all over pork to coat.  Place on grill, reduce heat to medium and close the lid.  Cook, turning occasionally, until the pork is no longer pink and is cooked thru in the middle, about 18-20 minutes.  Remove from grill and let rest for at least ten minutes before slicing.

For the Salsa:

Combine nectarine, tomato, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine.  Can be prepared and left at room temperature for up to 2 hours.  Mix in avocado just before serving.

Slice pork and spoon salsa over the top to serve.  Serves 3-4.

Perfect Blackened Seasoning

~ nourishedpeach ~ 5 Comments

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I was given this recipe by a chef that I used to work with in my waiting tables days.  I could never figure out how restaurants got that spicy, smokey, oh so flavorful “blackened” crust on their chicken and holy smokes this spice blend does the trick.  It’s so incredibly flavorful and is a wonderful way to bring to life anything, really. I love it with fish, pork, shrimp, vegetables…and so much more.  I always have it on hand in my pantry and it makes quick, flavorful dinners possible; just rub it on, cook and voila!  SO simple to put together and once you make it you’ll have it on hand for quite a while as this recipe makes well over 1/4 cup of seasoning.

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Perfect Blackened Seasoning

Note:  I halved the cayenne pepper in this version because it provides less heat so my toddler can enjoy it, too.  If you LOVE the spice and heat try using a full teaspoon of cayenne.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Sweet Paprika

1 Tablespoon Ground Thyme

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Onion Powder

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt

1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Store in an airtight container for up to six months.