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Monthly Archives: April 2013

what the #^*& is this doing in my yogurt?

April 28, 2013
oh the things you'll see
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So I’m in Pathmark, I have my grocery list, and it recommends that I specifically purchase non-fat Greek yogurt. They do not have this type of yogurt. They ran out of this type of yogurt. This is the exact moment when I lose the very small bit of control I have over my brain

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Meet Muller. Meet its yogurt product, frutUp. On the company’s website, it states, “We use kosher gelatin from tilapia to maintain the light and airy texture of the fruit mousse.” Well thank you for that. Instead of shoving pork cartiledge into this thing, you take the liberty of pumping it full of tilapia goodness. Thank you.

red quinoa and grilled romaine salad

April 24, 2013
somethin' on the side, the main event, the underwear diet
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4 1/2 cups cooked red quinoa (1 1/2 cups uncooked; can use a blend of red and white quinoa)
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 hearts of romaine
2 tsp olive oil
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups corn kernels
1 shallot, thinly sliced
Juice of 2 limes

1. Preheat a grill pan over high heat.
2. Cut the romaine hearts in half lengthwise, keeping the end intact to hold the leaves together. Brush with 1 tsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the romaine on the grill and cook until nice grill marks are achieved. Remove and cool.
4. Roughly chop the romaine and add to the cooked quinoa.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and the remaining 1 tsp of olive oil and stir to combine (do not over stir because it will make the quinoa gummy).

Future considerations: cumin, fresh herb?

mustard and brown sugar pork tenderloin

April 22, 2013
the main event, the underwear diet
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1 pork tenderloin
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp whole-grain mustard
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp canola oil

1. Trim the tenderloin of fat if necessary (there should be very little as pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat). Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and then spread all over the meat. Marinate in the refrigerator for four hours or overnight.
2. One hour before cooking, remove the pork from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Wipe off excess marinade from the meat. Heat the oil in a pan and once you see the first whisp of smoke, add the pork to the pan. Sear on all four sides, about 1-2 minutes each.
4. Place pork on a sheet tray. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a thermometer reaches 145 degrees at the thickest part of the tenderloin.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. Slice and serve.

Enjoy the pork tenderloin alongside couscous with peas, arugula, and lemon zest. A light yet satisfying spring dinner, best enjoyed al fresco with a glass bottle of crisp white wine.

I did not make a sauce for this dish because I was a) lazy, and b) wanted to serve a dish that showcased the meat.

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lemony couscous with peas and arugula

April 18, 2013
somethin' on the side, the underwear diet
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Couscous, prepared using package’s directions for 6 servings
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 10-oz bag baby arugula
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups sweet green peas (if fresh: blanch ahead of time; if frozen: thaw)

1. Make the couscous (yeah, yeah, I know–these are very lazy instructions. Womp womp). Add 1 tbsp of the oil, salt and black pepper to the cooking liquid (I used water) before adding the couscous.
2. While the couscous is cooking, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for about 30-60 seconds.
3. Add the arugula to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Stir until just barely wilted and remove from the heat.
4. Once the couscous is finished, fluff with a fork and add the remaining olive oil, lemon zest and juice and peas.

lentil, roasted carrot, and cucumber salad

April 16, 2013
somethin' on the side, the main event, the underwear diet
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1 lb carrots, peeled
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
2/3 cup dry lentils
1 hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds removed if they are visible
4 oz feta cheese, medium dice
1/4 cup parsley, roughly chopped
Juice from 1/2 large lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the carrots into 3/4 inch slices on a bias, and then cut each slice in half lengthwise. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast on a sheet pan for 10-15 minutes, or until dark golden brown, flipping halfway. Cool.

While the carrots are roasting, prepare the lentils per the package’s directions. Season with salt toward the end of cooking. Cool.

And while that’s all going down, cut the cucumber halves into half-moon slices and combine with the feta and parsley. Add the cooled carrots and lentils to the mixture and gently stir. Add lemon juice and a glug of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

I’d say this is nice as a snack, but can also be a satisfying vegetarian main entree for the spring and summer seasons.

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