Party in Your Mouth

This meal had such an amazing combination of flavors from sweet to salty to tangy. The Pork Chops (or tofu chops) with Maple Mustard Glaze accompanied by an asparagus, spinach, orange, and avocado grain salad was a meal that I will definitely try to re-create. Adam tasted both the pork chop and tofu versions of the meal and stated that they had completely different flavors but that both were fantastic in their own ways. So, whether you are vegetarian or not, you can have a fabulous meal.

I wasn't able to take a picture of this dinner because my battery ran out in my camera, but it looked pretty beautiful.


Pork Chops with Maple Mustard Glaze (Cooking Light, May 2006)

1 tsp. butter
4 (4-oz.) boneless pork loin chops, trimmed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth [or veggie broth]
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp. heavy cream

1. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle pork chops evenly with salt and pepper; add pork to pan. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; keep warm.
2. Add broth and next 4 ingredients to pan. Bring to a boil, and cook 3 minutes or until slightly thick. Stir in cream, and reduce heat to medium. Return pork to pan; simmer 3 minutes or until pork is done, turning once.


Asparagus, Orange, and Avocado Grains

1 1/2 cups Great Grains from Trader Joe's or a grain of your choice
1 cup vegetable broth
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into big bites
3 handfuls of spinach
2 oranges, 1 supremed, the other juiced
1 avocado, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare the grains according to package directions with the vegetable broth. Add the chopped asparagus and spinach in the last 3 minutes of cooking, placing a lid on top of the grains. Once the grains are cooked and the asparagus is tender, remove the grains from the stove and put into a bowl.
2. Supreme the orange by cutting off the peel and cutting each section separately from the orange. Mix the sections, orange juice, avocado, and salt and pepper with the grains. Enjoy!

Best Barley Risotto Ever

This barley risotto in the current issue of Cooking Light caught my eye immediately. I'm not too familiar with barley, so I was pleasantly surprised at its nutty flavor and tenderness. The barley perfectly complemented the butternut squash and shiitake mushrooms mixed into the risotto. This is one of my favorite all-in-one recipes I have made recently--definitely one to try on a brisk spring evening.

Barley, Butternut Squash, and Shiitake Risotto (Cooking Light, March 2010)

3 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 1/2 lbs.)
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2/3 cup white wine
3 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 oz. Taleggio cheese, diced [I could not find Taleggio, so I used brie as Cooking Light suggested as a substitute.]
2 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Combine squash, 1 Tbs. oil, and 1/4 tsp. salt; toss well to coat. Arrange squash mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 25 minutes, stirring once.
3. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Transfer mushroom mixture to a bowl; keep warm.
4. Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil in pan. Add onion; saute 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add barley and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add wine; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed. Add broth, remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is nearly absorbed. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in squash, mushrooms, and thyme. Serve immediately.