Meal Makeover Moms' Kitchen » Pork

Healthy Summer Grilling and a Recipe for Grilled Pork with Pineapple Pizzazz (Podcast #112)

The Meal Makeover Moms — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:05:52 +0000

Here in the Boston area, it’s been a glorious (albeit hot) summer. Though we’ve had little time to enjoy it — that’s what happens when you’re writing a cookbook and your deadline is August 9 — we’ve each managed to fit in some time for backyard barbecues. On this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast, we join forces with fellow podcasters for the Summer 2010 Podcast Project. Sponsored by Jerilyn, Amy and Susan from The Because Show, we chose healthy summer grilling as our show theme.

Charged with dishing about any topic related to summer food, our show features healthy ideas for the grill and a recipe for Grilled Pork with Pineapple Pizzazz. Other podcasters who also recorded shows for the Summer Podcast Project are: Musing Mommies, PFD Podcast, Two Fit Chicks and a Microphone, and 2 God Chicks.

Grilled Pork with Pineapple Pizzazz

Makes 4 Servings

They don’t call pork the other white meat for nothing. A three-ounce serving of pork tenderloin, our favorite cut, is comparable to chicken breast with 120 calories, 3 grams fat, and just 1 gram of saturated fat. Pork is rich in the B vitamins, thiamin and B6, important for converting food into energy, and when it comes to grilling, it’s super easy. For this recipe, we pair it with grilled slices of sweet pineapple … but don’t stop there. While you’re at it, fill your grill with an array of veggies — zucchini, bell peppers, Portobello mushrooms, and onion. Your kids will think they’re at a luau.

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
One 1 ¼ pounds pork tenderloin
One 20-ounce can pineapple slices in juice, drained

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, curry powder, ginger, and black pepper in a small bowl until well blended. Pour into a large zip-top bag and add the tenderloin. Place in the refrigerator and marinate at least one hour and up to overnight.

2. Preheat the grill to medium and lightly oil the grate. Grill the tenderloin, turning halfway through, until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 155°F, 20 to 25 minutes. The pork should still be slightly pink in the center. Remove from the grill and let stand before slicing, about 5 minutes.

3. While the pork is resting, spray the pineapple slices lightly with nonstick cooking spray and grill until golden grill marks appear, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

4. Slice the pork and serve with the pineapple slices.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 270 calories, 5g fat (1.5g saturated), 140mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 30g protein, 25% vitamin C, 10% iron

Print Recipe

Last summer, we shared a recipe for grilled veggie kebabs. Brushed with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with kosher salt, they cook up in under 20 minutes.

If you have a favorite summer-time recipe, feel free to tell us all about it.

“Adult Food” Can Be Kid Friendly

The Meal Makeover Moms — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:50:44 +0000

Just because a recipe may look sophisticated or fancy doesn’t mean kids — even the chicken nugget, mac & cheese-loving ones out there — won’t want to eat it. Last week while surfing a blog called ChocolateAndZucchini, I found a recipe for Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin, posted on October 7th. Since pork tenderloin is my absolute favorite cut of pork (it’s lean, tender, mild in flavor and easy to cook) I was drawn to this particular dish. My initial thought when scanning the ingredients was: “Carolyn’s gonna love it but Leah, no way!” Well, I’m happy to report that my opinioned 9-year old with her unpredictable palate devoured every bite. In fact, after her first helping she replied enthusiastically “More steak please!”

Though this recipe definitely featured what some might consider “adult” flavors — white wine vinegar, garlic, rosemary — Leah still loved it. I did make a few minor tweaks to this recipe. Instead of the juice of two oranges (which I did not have), I used about 3/4 cup orange juice. And since I didn’t have any crème fraîche on hand, I used light sour cream. By the way, on the side, we enjoyed mashed potatoes and roasted acorn squash. All around, I’d consider this a successful — and nutritious — family meal.

We would love to hear some of your “adult food” success stories. Have your kids ever surprised you by gobbling up a food you thought they would reject? Do they routinely request a recipe that you thought was for “adults only? We’re always on the lookout for new ideas so post your recipes and stories now!

~Janice

Ready, Set, Grill

The Meal Makeover Moms — Fri, 25 May 2007 14:53:00 +0000

With Memorial Day just around the corner, it’s time to fire up your backyard grill. Instead of the same old burgers and dogs, try pork tenderloin instead. We like it because it’s versatile, easy to cook, and very lean. In fact, it has the same amount of fat as skinless chicken breast and is also a great source of B vitamins.

If you need some incentive to expand your grilling repertoire, the National Pork Board is sponsoring a recipe contest: Grilling Grates from 50 States. They’re looking for regionally-inspired, quick and easy tenderloin recipe creations with five ingredients or less. You can check it out at TheOtherWhiteMeat.com. In the meantime, to get you started, try our pork tenderloin recipe … with just 5 simple ingredients.

Rosemary-Marinated Pork Tenderloin
Makes 4 Servings

One 1 ¼ pound pork tenderloin
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch black pepper

Place the pork in a large resealable plastic bag; set aside. Whisk together the salad dressing, rosemary, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour the marinade over the pork. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours for the most flavorful results.

Nutrition Information per Serving:
170 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 160mg sodium, 0g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, 28g protein