Easiest Dinner Ever: Pork Loin, Potatoes and Veggies

This one is for anyone new to the kitchen who needs the easiest healthy dinner ever. Below is your grocery list. If you need more meals, just double the list below (the photo above is five "man-size" servings made with a double batch of the below ingredients.


Shopping List:

One pre-seasoned pork loin (our favorite flavor is Peppercorn from Hormel - see right)

One bag of baby carrots

One bag of baby red bliss potatoes

Butter (if you don't have it)

Pam Spray (if you don't have it)

Onion Powder (if you don't have it)

Italian Seasoning (if you don't have it)

Salt

Pepper

Equipment you need:

A glass baking dish (A 9 x 9 will do for one loin. A 9 x 13 dish for two loins)
A large baking sheet
A large pot
Cutting Board
Aluminum foil


Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 425.


2. Spray glass baking dish with Pam. Unwrap pork and place in glass dish.


3. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil (so no clean up). Spray aluminum foil with Pam.


4. Dump bag of carrots on foil lined sheet. Spray top of carrots with Pam. Sprinkle salt, pepper and onion powder on wet carrots. Use hands to roll around carrots to spread seasoning.


5. Put carrots and pork in oven at 425 for 45 minutes.


6. While carrots and pork are in oven, cut baby potatoes in half.


7. Put potatoes into pot and cover with water, so water is about 1-2" above top of potatoes.


8. Boil potatoes on high heat until tender when stuck with a fork. About 30 minutes or so.


9. When potatoes are done, drain them.


10. Add about a half stick of butter to potatoes. Add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to taste. Mix with spoon. They should look like this:

11. When timer goes off, remove carrots and pork from oven at the same time. Carrots should be slightly browned. See below.

12. Allow pork to sit about 5 minutes before slicing (or juice will run out).


13. Divide up your meal into plastic containers, seal them and put them right into the fridge to keep fresh up to 5 days (if you don't package them individually, will be exposed to air each time you go for a serving and will go bad faster).


DONE. Seriously easy, right?

Recipe: Fajita Chicken and Mexican Rice

One of our meals from this week. Super easy, very tasty and reheats great!

Ingredients:

3 Chicken Breasts

1-2 Red Peppers (a big one or two small ones)

1-2 Green Peppers (a big one or two small ones)

1 White Onion

2 Packets of Fajita Seasoning (Mexican Foods next to Taco Seasoning)

1 Bag Frozen Brown Rice (the kind that comes in a steam bag)

1 Can of Corn
1 Can of Black Beans
1 Jar of Salsa
EVOO
Salt
Pepper
Pam (to spray baking dish)
Parchment Paper (secret weapon!)


Steps:


1. Remove chicken breasts from package and place in a gallon Ziploc bag. Add the two packets of fajita seasoning and a few tablespoons of olive oil. Zip top of bag and SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE. Let remaining air out of bag and refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight) to marinate chicken.

2. Preheat oven to 400 and spray 9 x 13 glass baking dish with Pam. Add chicken to baking dish.


3. Slice peppers and onion into long thin strips. Add peppers and onions to baking dish in space around chicken breasts. Season veggies and chicken with salt and pepper.


4. Tear a piece of parchment paper just large enough to cover dish. Spray one side of paper with Pam and place PAM SIDE DOWN on top of chicken and veggies. Loosely tuck in the edges of the paper around the inside edge of the pan. (This is the secret to moist chicken breast! The paper creates a little bubble trapping in the moisture.)


5. Bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes until chicken is done. Time may vary depending on your oven's actual temperature. Mine is usually about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let it sit so it becomes cool enough to handle.


6. While chicken is baking, microwave the frozen brown rice according to package directions.


7. Drain the can of corn.


8. Drain and rinse the can of black beans with COLD water. (Rinsing the beans with cold water removes some of the extra salt and the enzymes that cause gas!)


9. In a large bowl, mix the cooked brown rice, corn and beans. Add salsa from a jar to taste. You can also add seasonings to taste (like chili power, etc.).


10. Slice your chicken. Add chicken, veggies and rice to your to-go containers. Seal containers and refrigerate immediately.


DONE!