Apple-Banana-Tomato Protein Smoothie

I know, I know, it sounds gross.  I was honestly nervous about how this one was going to turn out, but I just kept thinking about V8 and how they can make tomatoes work so I gave it a try anyway.  I must say that I am glad that I did because it turned out delicious.  It smelled like banana and the flavor was mostly banana and apple with an occasional fresh tasting bite of kale thrown in. 
*I apologize for missing my initial pretty pre-mixed photo, I accidentally deleted it on my camera :(


Ingredients:
1 Cup Frozen strawberries & Blueberries
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 Banana (Sliced)
1 Leaf Kale (Ripped into pieces)
1 Medium Tomato (Seeded & Sliced)
1/2 Cucumber (Peeled & Sliced)
1 Apple (Cored & Sliced)
1 Peach (Pitted & Sliced)
1/4 Cup Blueberries
1 Cup Apple Juice (Not From Concentrate)


Directions:
Add the frozen ingredients into the blender first and then add the protein and the remaining ingredients, top with the apple juice (This helps ensure a better overall blend).  Blend on medium/high speed until well blended and serve.  This gives you 2 smoothies to enjoy so that you can take care of 2 days at once, refrigerate the remaining smoothie.  Enjoy!

Mix all of the ingredients

Serve & Enjoy!

If you interested in more smoothie recipes here are my previously posted recipes

Cantaloupe-Carrot-Berry Protein Smoothie

Cucumber-Watermelon-Mint Protein Smoothie

Heirloom Carrot-Watermelon Protein Smoothie

Watermelon-Triple-Berry Protein Smoothie with Kale

Pear-Apple-Berry Fruit Protein Smoothie

Grilled Pork with Balsamic Reduction & Loaded Mashed Russet Potatoes

Balsamic Vinegar is always great to cook with because it helps to ensure that your pork doesn't turn out tasting too sweet!  Pork is a great meat for sucking up any sort of minor hint of flavor that you add to it!  The variations that you can do with a recipe like this are practically endless and have yet to disappoint in my experience.  

Grilled Balsamic Pork

Ingredients: 

1 Bottle Raspberry Blush Balsamic Vinegar (about 1 Cup, 8.5 oz, 250 ml)

1/2 Cup Peach Preserves (If you want your reduction sauce to be thick, use 1/4 Cup instead)

3 Pork Tenderloins (Thickly Sliced)

Seasoning (Mediterranean Basil, Crushed Rosemary, Alpine Touch)

Dollop of sour cream

Rosemary leaves

Directions: 

Prepare the grill (I used my handy George Foreman Grill).  Bring the Balsamic Vinegar & Peach Preserves to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.  Cook until reduced by half.  While the sauce is reducing, season the pork tenderloins.  Place on the grill.  Cook for about 15 minutes until cooked all the way through.  Remove from the grill.  Cover or keep warm in the microwave.  As soon as the sauce is thoroughly reduced score the meat to ensure the sauce will seep in.  To serve spoon the balsamic reduction over the meat to just cover (or to taste).  Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and rosemary leaves on top.  *Do not shy away from the sour cream, it enhances the flavor tremendously and makes the taste sweeter.

*Optional: You may also garnish with a few blackberries or any other kind of fruit

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 Large Russet Potatoes (Peeled & Cubed)

2 Tbsp Butter

1/3 Cup Cream

1/2 Cup Cheese (I used Cheddar/Monterey Jack)

2 Tbsp Sour Cream

Garlic Powder

Basil

Alpine Touch

Leeks

Directions:

Add the potatoes to the pot and cover with water.  Boil until easy to mash and then turn heat down to low.  Mash any lumps out and add the butter and cream and stir in thoroughly   Add all remaining ingredients except the leeks and mix thoroughly.  Serve by topping with snipped leeks and Basil.  Enjoy.

The ingredients for my Balsamic Reduction sauce

Boil the potatoes and the Vinegar & Peach preserves

Season the pork

Place the pork on the grill

Multi-task like a champ :)

Finish boiling the potatoes while continuing to boil the reduction sauce

Mash the potatoes while the sauce is still reducing

Add the butter and cream to the potatoes, continue to boil sauce and grill pork

Add remaining ingredients to the potatoes and finish reducing the sauce

Serve & Enjoy!

Glazed Pork Scaloppini & Mashed Red Potatoes

Although originally my glaze was supposed to be straight apples, and accidental mixing up of the Peach and Apple jelly led to a slight hint of peach as well!  It turned out splendidly!  I would definitely make it again! 

Glazed Pork Scaloppini

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp Butter
4 Pork Scaloppinis
Seasoning (Alpine Touch, Basil, Tarragon, Brown Sugar Bourbon, Ground Cinnamon)
3 Apples (Cored & Sliced)
3 Tbsp Peach Jelly (You can also use jelly as I originally intended to use)
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

Directions:
Add 2 Tbsp Butter to a skillet.  Add the pork and season generously on both sides, using the cinnamon lightly.  Cook on med-high until browned thoroughly (About 8-10 minutes per side).  Remove the pork from the pan and set aside (I like to store in the microwave to keep warm).  Add the remaining 3 Tbsp Butter and the apple slices.  Turn the heat down to low and add the Jelly & Brown Sugar.  Mix thoroughly and allow to turn into a sauce with apples.  Return the pork to the skillet to cover with the glaze.  Serve with the apples and glaze.  Enjoy!

Mashed Red Potatoes

Ingredients:
3 Large Red Potatoes (Cubed)
3/4 Cup Milk
Seasoning (Basil, Garlic Powder & Alpine Touch)
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese
2 Tbsp Sour Cream
Leeks to garnish

Directions:
Add the potatoes to a pot and just barely cover with water.  Boil on high heat until the water is almost completely gone and the potatoes are soft and easily mashable.  Turn heat down to low.  Add the milk and seasoning and whisk out the lumps.   Add the Cheese & Sour Cream and mix thoroughly until cheese is melted.  Top with chopped Leeks to garnish.  Serve & Enjoy!

Add the potatoes to a pot and barely cover with water

Add the Butter, Pork & Seasoning to a skillet while the potatoes boil

Remove the pork and add remaining butter and apple sliced to the skillet while the potatoes finish boiling

Allow apples to soften, add the milk and seasoning to the potatoes and whisk out lumps

Add the sugar and Jelly tot he skillet

Add the cheese and sour cream to the potatoes

Top Pork with apples & Glaze, Top potatoes with chopped leeks, serve & enjoy!

Braised Pork Loin Chops with Brown Sugar Peach Sauce

Lots of experimenting and a delicious result.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 Pork Loin Chops

3 Tbsp Butter

Seasoning (Tarragon, Basil, Ground Cinnamon)

2-3 Carrots Peeled & Sliced

1 Cup Chicken Broth

2 Tbsp Vinegar (I used Champagne) 

3 Tbsp Fruit Jelly (1 Tbsp Red Raspberry, 2 Tbsp Raspberry Peach Champagne)

2 Fruit Cups (Peaches in Brown Sugar)

2-3 Tbsp Brown Sugar (If you want to sweeten it up a bit)

 Directions:

Season the park chops and melt the butter in a large frying pan.  Add the pork loins and cook turning once until golden on both sides about 6-10 minutes total.  Transfer the pork to a plate.

Melt the remaining 1 Tbsp butter in the pan over medium heat.  Add the carrots and saute until softened about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the chicken broth and cook, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  

Return the pork to the pan and spoon the sauce over them.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Serve by spooning sauce over the pork.

Some of the basic ingredients I used

Cook the seasoned pork in the frying pan

When the pork is golden transfer to a plate

Saute' the carrots

Add the chicken broth

Add the remaining ingredients

Return the pork to the sauce

Serve by spooning sauce over the pork and enjoy

Pork Nachos

I like to try to make old standards new again with varying ingredients.  My specialty is steak nachos, but tonight I went the pork route and it turned out delicious!

Ingredients:
1 lb package stewing pork (pre-chopped or you can also buy whatever pork you prefer and chop it yourself)
2 Tbsp olive oil
Seasoning (Taco Seasoning & Crushed Red Pepper)
Toppings:
Salsa (I used Peach to go with the Pork)
Sour Cream
8 Grape Tomatoes (chopped)
3 Stalks Green Onions (chopped)
1 Avocado (halved and chopped)
4 Spinach Leaves (ripped into pieces)
8-10 black olives (sliced)
Shredded Cheese (I like to use the Mexican Blend)
Tortilla Chips

 Directions:
Put the oil in a skillet and add the pork and the seasoning.  Cook until thoroughly browned.  Set aside to slightly cool.  While cooking the pork get the toppings ready by chopping and slicing the tomatoes, green onions, black olives and the spinach and leave the avocado for last.  Arrange the tortilla chips on a plate add the cheese and pork and green onions, microwave for about 35 seconds or until cheese is melted but not crispy.  Add toppings to taste and enjoy :)

Add the pork and seasonings to the skillet

Cook thoroughly

Prepare toppings

Add chips, cheese, pork and green onions

Melt cheese in microwave

Add Toppings

Normally I would put the salsa and sour cream on before the other toppings but I got overzealous and didn't realize I had forgotten the salsa until I was about half way done haha

Enjoy your delicious creation!