Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin Medallions

With Caramelized Shallots and Rosemary Sauce

2-3 lb pork tenderloin, sliced ½” thick
1/3 c + 4 Tbsp. olive oil
6-8 shallots, peeled, whole
3 Tbsp. xylitol
2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Sea salt
Pepper
1/2 c water
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. rosemary, fresh

Caramelize the shallots
In saute pan, heat 3 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add shallots and xylitol, tossing to coat. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the shallots start to brown. Add 2 Tbsp vinegar, salt, and pepper, and toss well. Cook until nicely browned, but not mushy. Set aside to cool.

Make rosemary sauce
In food processor, blend cooled shallots, salt, pepper, mustard, rosemary, and 1 tsp balsamic vinegar until smooth. Add 1/3 c olive oil and mix until fully integrated.

Pan-roast the medallions
In saute pan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil on medium-high. Add medallions and cook each side 3-4 minutes, aiming for a beautiful brown surface. Remove from pan and cover.

Plate the meal
Place 2-3 medallions on plate and top with rosemary sauce.

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Pork and Yam Pie

Here’s a fantastic recipe for pork pie that happens to be gluten free. For an especially tasty pie, use Nash’s pork, which is pasture raised and antibiotic and hormone free. Our hogs are fed organic vegetables and grains grown here on the farm and whey from a local creamery, making the pork especially tasty. For more on Nash’s pork, check out our pork page.

1 lb. Nash’s ground lean pork
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
Pepper
1 cup tomato juice
2 Tbsp. capers
3 Tbsp. raisins
4 Tbsp sherry or port
2 lb. yam, peeled
Butter or olive oil for mashing yam
1 egg
Salt
1 tsp. baking powder

Gently fry the onions and garlic in the butter, add the parsley, pepper and pork and cook until the pork has lost its raw look. Add the salt, pepper and tomato juice and simmer together, covered, for 45 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the capers, raisins and wine.

Meanwhile, boil the yam until tender and mash with a little butter or olive oil. Mix in the egg and baking powder.

Line a greased pie dish with half the yam mixture, pressing it down. Fill with the meat mixture.

Spread the remaining yam puree on a sheet of waxed paper, shaping it to the same size as the pie dish. Turn it over the meat filling and neaten the edges.

Bake at 350°F, for 35-45 minutes.

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Braised Leeks

leeks

Braise your leeks to let their tasty flavor shine!

4 large leeks, tough outer leaves discarded and trimmed to about 6 inches in length
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch pepper

Using a sharp knife, trim most of the roots off the end of the leek, leaving enough so that the leek remains attached at the bottom. Cut each leek lengthwise into halves and then cut each half into inch long pieces. Soak leeks in a large bowl of cool water to allow any dirt to settle to the bottom.

In a saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks to the skillet. Cook the leeks, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with thyme and cook one minute more. Add stock, reduce heat to medium low. Braise the leeks, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until very tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

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Spinach Parmesan Cakes

organic spinach

Spinach isn’t just for salads — it goes great with ricotta and Parmesan cheese!

12 ounces fresh spinach
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese or low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
2 large eggs, beaten
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pulse spinach in three batches in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add ricotta (or cottage cheese), Parmesan, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper; stir to combine.

Coat 8 cups of a muffin pan with vegetable oil. Divide the spinach mixture among the 8 cups (they will be very full).

Bake the spinach cakes until set, about 20 minutes. Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and turn out onto a clean cutting board or large plate. Serve warm, sprinkled with more Parmesan, if desired.

We thank EatingWell.com for this recipe.

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Zesty Chicken Spinach Casserole

Bunches of spinach in a Nash box

We’ve just started harvesting beautiful bunches of spinach! Spinach is a great addition to any casserole for extra flavor, color, and nutrients.

9 ounces water chestnuts, drained
2 ounces pimento olives, diced
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon pepper
4 cooked skinless chicken breasts, excess fat removed, and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in the whole wheat flour, add skim milk and chicken broth, and cook until thickened.

Mix in whole wheat noodles, sour cream/yogurt, lemon juice, spinach, mushrooms, water chestnuts, pimentos, onion, celery, seasoned salt, cayenne, paprika, and pepper.

In a greased 4-quart baking dish, alternate layers of noodle mixture and chicken. Top with grated cheese and bake 30 minutes.

We thank FaveHealthyRecipes.com for this recipe.

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Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower in the field

Did you know you can make pizza crust out of cauliflower, egg, and cheese? If you’re gluten-free but crave pizza, or if you’re simply looking to incorporate more cauliflower into your life, try this recipe.

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Olive oil (optional)
Pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of pre-cooked toppings

To “rice” the cauliflower

Take one large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Don’t overdo it or you will puree the cauliflower. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater.)

Microwave the riced cauliflower in a bowl for about 8 minutes. There is no need to add water because the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook it. Instead of using a microwave, you can also steam the cauliflower, but use as little water as possible.

One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. If you have extra, the remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To make the pizza crust

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Oil a cookie sheet.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup riced cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, and stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and pat out into a 9″ round. Optionally, brush olive oil over the top of the mixture to help with browning.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. Top the crust with sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat until cheese is just melted, approximately 3-4 minutes.

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Mashed White Beans and Cauliflower

leeks

Looking for a tasty substitute for mashed potatoes? Use cauliflower, white beans, and leeks instead.

This tasty, low-calorie substitute for mashed potatoes came from aidamollenkamp.com.

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium leek, ends trimmed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces cauliflower florets
3 cups cooked white beans
2/3 cup fat-free low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Halve leeks lengthwise, then cut crosswise into thin, 1/4-inch half-moon shapes. When oil shimmers, add leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water. With a spatula, scrape up the golden bits. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes and set aside. Meanwhile, place an inch of water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower, cover and steam until fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. Combine leeks, cauliflower, and beans in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add broth and chives and puree until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Serve warm or room temperature.

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Cauliflower and Leek Rice

Cauliflower

Pair these sweet over-wintered veggies with a grain or pasta for a delicious, healthy meal.

1 medium leek, finely chopped
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch-wide florets
3-1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup rice (6 3/4 ounces)
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Wash leek well in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain. Blanch leek and cauliflower in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, 1 minute. Drain in a sieve and transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drain well.

Bring stock and water to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan and keep stock at a bare simmer, covered.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté cauliflower and leek, stirring, 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add 1 cup simmering stock and cook at a strong simmer, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue simmering and adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is just tender and creamy looking, 20 to 25 minutes. (There may be leftover broth.)

Remove from heat and stir in cheese, remaining tablespoon butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Thin with a little remaining stock as desired and serve immediately.

I bet this could be made with orzo, instead of rice.

We thank epicurious.com for this recipe.

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Grain and Bean Soup

Kidney beans

“I like to stir in a big handful of cheese and garnish the top with some as well!” says Lynne Vea, PCC Chef.

1 cup Nash’s dried kidney beans (or any other dried beans, such as cannellini, navy, adzuki, black-eyed peas, etc. in any combination)
1/2 cup Nash’s whole grain wheat berries (kamut or barley also work)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
2 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon rosemary
6 to 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 can (14 ounces) Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (or your favorite brand)
1/2 cup lentils (optional)
2 cups frozen tortellini
2 cups winter greens, such as chard, kale or collards, coarsely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Romano or Parmigiana cheese for garnish

Soak the beans and grains together in about 3 cups of cold water overnight. Drain and proceed with the recipe.

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the vegetables and herbs for 5 minutes. Add 6 cups of the stock, the tomatoes and the soaked beans and grains. Add the lentils here if you are using them. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the beans are tender. (Add a little more stock if the mixture is too thick.) Stir in the tortellini and the greens and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes more or until the pasta is just al dente. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve garnished with freshly grated Romano or Parmigiana cheese.

We thank Lynne Vea, PCC Chef, for this recipe. It appeared originally in PCC Fresh in January 2010.

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Over-Wintered Cauliflower

cauliflower

Over-wintered cauliflower is oh-so-sweet!

Our cauliflower was planted in August and grew all winter. The cold weather made it sweeter than normal. You can eat the leaves, too! Prepare them as you would any other leafy green veggie.

Roasted Cauliflower: Combine cauliflower, cubed rutabagas, potatoes, and spring onions on a cookie sheet or baking dish. Drizzle with oil and season with thyme, basil, oregano, chili pepper flakes, and slat/pepper. Cover and bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes. Uncover, turn veggies and bake for 10-15 minutes more. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Steamed Cauliflower: Break cauliflower into florets and steam lightly. Drizzle with a puree of fresh berbs, garlic and oil before serving. Steam a combo of cubed cauliflower and rutabagas, then mash with lemon juice and fresh parsley.

Soup: Cube a leek, a medium head of cauliflower, garlic and a small potato or two. Boil in 8-10 cups of salted water or veggie/chicken stock until soft enough to puree in a blender. Return to soup pot and season with salt/pepper, thyme, and nutmeg (optional). Thicken by tossing in some lentils or rice.

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