This is a very easy and simple recipe to prepare pork chop. I usually grill the chops, but this time I decided to bake first and then pan fry. I served the pork chops with cranberry rice. It is a great combination of flavor…very fruity and colorful.

Pork Chop

Ingredients:

2~3 lb pork chop
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ tablespoon sesame oil
¼ cup light soy sauce
2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoon cooking wine
¼ cup lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Marinate the pork chops with all the above ingredients.

Let it set in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight).

Arrange the pork chops in an oven safe tray and bake for 40~45 minute at 350 F.

Remove the pork chops from the oven and place them in a fry pan over high heat just to brown, both side.

Cranberry Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup cranberries
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

In medium heat sauté the onion in the olive oil, add the cranberries until the cranberries are slightly soft. Add the rice pre-rinsed and drained, the salt and the ground cinnamon, mixing gently. Add the boiling water and reduce the heat until all the water is absorbed.

Did you know that cranberries like grapes contain large amount of polyphenols? Polyphenols have the ability to scavenge free radical, therefore are considered antioxidants. Cranberries have been recommended to prevent urinary tract infection due its tannins content.

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This is a easy way to prepare spinach…it is fast and believe me you end up eating lots and lots of spinach.
My mom usually prepares this dish without bacon, I decided to add a little more flavor to it…so bacon was added to this side dish 🙂

Ingredients:

1 bunch of spinach
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 strips of bacon cut in small pieces
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Fry the bacon and remove the excess of fat. Add the chopped garlic and let it brown. Add the spinach (cut in approximately 2~2 ½ in) and sautee in high heat rapidly.

Do not over cook the spinach.

Serve hot.

Did you know that spinach contain a lot of iron? Since the iron in spinach and other vegetables and grains sources are not bound to heme its absoption are not very efficient, therefore to improve the iron absoption by the body the consumption of vitamin C or other binders are necessary. Heme binded iron are found in meat (blood).

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This baked cheese can be served alone or with bread and crackers. It is tasty and easy, and makes a great appetizer dish.

Ingredients:

1~1 ½ lb Panela Cheese
3~4 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

Slice the cheese, about 1 inch thick.

Place the slices of cheese in a baking dish, top with the minced garlic and sprinkle with the oregano and top it with olive oil.

Bake in preheated oven at 375F for approximately 20~25 minutes or until the garlic turn slightly golden brown.

Serve hot.

Panela cheese or queso panela is used in many Mexican foods. When fresh has a similar texture of mozzarella, but once cooked carries a very different texture, since does not melt like mozzarella cheese by holding its shape.

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This is a very interesting mushroom, has a thick and very meaty stem and the cap is kind of small compared as a whole. After cooking the texture of this mushroom is different from the others species of mushroom.

Ingredients:

1 pack King Trumpet Mushroom
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/3 bunch fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon butter
½ tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Wash the mushroom and remove the bottom part, where the mushrooms attached to the soil (brown and flaky). Slice it approximately ½ inch and boil in water for 2~3 minutes. Drain it and reserve.

In a pan sautee the garlic in butter until brown, add the sliced onion, let it cook for 1 minute, add the mushrooms, soy sauce, salt and pepper to your taste. Stir gently, until well distributed.

Finally, add the chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Did you know that king trumpet mushroom is also called French horn mushroom or king oyster mushroom? Is the largest one in the oyster mushroom genus.

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This is a very simple side dish with lots and lots of green…spinach!

Ingredients:

1 bunch spinach
1½ cups long grain rice
2 tablespoons onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese grated

Method:

Wash the spinach and boil in approximately 4 cups of water. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Drain the spinach and save the water from the spinach. Chop the spinach and set aside.

In a small pot add the olive oil and the onion, let the onion brown. Add the rice already washed and drained.

Saute the rice so it is covered with the olive oil. Add the chopped spinach and 2 ½ cups of the spinach liquid, salt and pepper. Bring the heat to high, once it starts to boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.

Top with parmesan cheese and serve hot.

Did you know that spinach is a rich source of iron and calcium? Moreover, spinach contains more iron than meat and other vegetables. But the iron in spinach is poorly absorbed by the body unless eaten with vitamin C, which is not the case of the iron found in meat. Nevertheless, spinach still has a large nutritional value, it is a rich source of vitamins A, C, E, K, magnesium, and several antioxidants. In addition spinach is an excellent source of manganese, folate, vitamin B12, B6, calcium, potassium, fiber, copper, protein, phosphorous, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, niacin, and selenium. That explains why Popeye the Sailor Man loved spinach!

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As you can notice, I love Israeli couscous. I always try to come up with different variations of it. This can be served as a side dish; it is very colorful and the raisins give a festive flavor to the dish. The Israeli couscous has a distinctive “chewy” texture. For some more information about Israeli couscous please see my previous post (Israeli Couscous).

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup of Israeli couscous
1 ½ cup of water
¼ cup chopped onion
1 ½ to 2 cups of mixed frozen vegetables
½ cup of raisins
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 chicken breast
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Cut the chicken breast in small size and marinate with soy sauce, garlic, corn starch, salt and pepper to taste, let it sit for approximately 10 minutes.

In the meantime heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil, sautee the onion and add the Israeli couscous. Once the couscous is coated with olive oil add the water and let it cook, first at high heat, once start to boil bring to simmer until all the water is absorbed. Once it is done, loose the grains by softly stirring it.

Boil the frozen vegetables, just enough so it is not too soft and set aside.

In a wok add ½ tablespoon of olive oil and the raisins. In a medium heat gently stir the raisins until the raisins are puffed.

Remove the raisins and place aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and increase the heat.

Add the chicken breast and sautee until slightly brown. Add all the others cooked ingredients in the wok, add salt and pepper to taste and you have a very pretty dish.

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