Pork Loin Chops with Red Wine Sauce

Lean pork can be rather dry on the grill.  On the other hand, it is a very healthy meal and I enjoy it.  So I have come to experiment with many marinades that make it tastier.  Here is my next one:

4-6 pork loin chops each about 2-3 inches thick
Marinade:
2 cups soy sauce
2 cups red wine

For Wine Sauce
marinade left over from meat
2 large sweet onions
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place the pork chops in a deep dish and cover with marinade.  Let the meat marinade about 2 hours.  Heat the grill to high heat and place the pork on it.  Cook until preferred temperature -- I cook it at least 10 minutes turning a couple of times and basting with marinade (I reserve about 1/2 cup for this, the rest is used for the wine sauce).
In the mean time slice the onions in thin slivers and place with oil in a large sauce pan and fry till onions are translucent.  Add the marinade left from the meat and simmer until sauce reduces to about 1/2 the amount.

Place the wine sauce in a bowl.  Serve the pork with your favorite side dish and / or salad and wine and onion sauce

A Great Vegetarian Dish -- Good for You and Taste Good Too

Over the years I have always wondered why many vegetarian dishes have such bad rep...In reality the truth is simple!  They are just not that great :-(
So, one of the objectives I have is to put together recommendations and recipes for good and simple to cook in most cases vegetarian dishes.  Here is my next one:

Cauliflower with Eggs
Note:  This recipe is a variant of cauliflower prepared in many geographies as either (a) Tempura -- if you are in Japan (b) deep fried in batter -- if you are in Bulgaria; among many.....
I like all of those dishes so sort of created my own (very easy) recipe:

1 Cauliflower
4 eggs
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Parsley - to taste
Salt - to taste

Break the cauliflower in small florets and throw in a large frying (non-stick) pan where first you have added the oil.  Stir-fry on moderate heat until the cauliflower turns golden brown.  Add salt -- at that point in time the cauliflower will release some water -- continue to fry it until the water evaporates -- do not forget to stiff very often so the vegetable does not burn. 
Chop the parsley and add. Stir
Add the eggs and finish frying.

Serve over steamed rice (white or brown)
Goes well with a cucumber, tomato, onion, and pepper salad.  Enjoy!

Bulgarian Baked Meatballs (Baked Kiufteta) / Български Печени кюфтета

Ingredients:

Meatballs / Kюфтета:

• 1lb of 80% lean ground pork
• 1lb of 93% lean ground pork
• 1lb of 93% lean ground beef
• 1 medium size onion
• 2 green jalapenos
• 1 red pepper
• parsley - about 3-5 sprigs
• 1 tablespoon ground cummin
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt 

Roasting ingredients:

• 6-8 large potatoes peeled and sliced in wedges

Chop the onion, jalapenos, red pepper, and parsley really fine.  Put all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Add the spices.  Start mixing with your hands as if kneading bread.

Place metal racks on the bottom of baking dishes -- the racks will ensure that the potatoes are not drenching in the grease that drains from the bakes meatballs.

Place a layer of potato wedges on top of the metal racks.  Sprinkle the potatoes with some salt (I use ground sea salt).  

Make paties from the ground meat mixture.  Form them well so they do not break apart.  Place the paties on top of the potato wedges.

Preheat the oven to 375F if convection heat oven, or 400F if regular oven.   Put the baking dishes with the potatoes and meatballs and bake for 30 minutes (or until you feel the meatballs are done -- you need to check them and bake them to your liking -- well done or medium well...etc)

Serve with salad and fresh bread.   Enjoy!

Another One Starts Adding to this Blog....

Well folks tonight I was in charge of dinner and I really did not feel going out to eat.  In the last 5 weeks now, I have been on a major push to lose weight which by the way DOES NOT involve dieting but the following:

• 4 -to - 5 times per week at least 20min exercise / usually more like 35-40 minutes as my schedule allows.  The exercise itself includes elyptical trainer and/or biking on the road
• I monitor what I eat -- but the care is on quantities not the types of food.  I.e. I make sure I am not eating huge portions
• Make sure I do not eat late in the evening -- I used to eat around 9pm -- very bad idea!
• Make sure I have breakfast -- even if just a small bowl of cereal

As a result of all this I have dropped (as of this morning) 12 pounds!  And will continue to do so.   So my reasons for working on this blog are several -- a) I like food -- just like my brother; b) I wanted to stress the notion that if one wants to lose weight, diets are not the answer (in my opinion) - as many of you probably know, exercise is VERY important -- so I wanted to state that.... So my contribution of recipes will be for ones that I am using even while losing weight - i.e. they are tried and true and good for you :-)

And now -- lets start...

Постни супи

спаначена супа с праз

ПРОДУКТИ : За 4 порции : 500 г спанак (лапад), 2-3 стръка праз лук, 3 моркова, чесън, копър, магданоз, 1 с.л. брашно, 3 с.л. ориз, олио, сухи чушки, черен пипер на вкус, лют червен пипер по желание.

ПРИГОТВЯНЕ : Нарязваме морковите, праза и чесъна на ситно и ги задушаваме в малко олио. Запържваме брашното и бъркаме леко. Прибавяме го към другите продукти и пак разбъркваме. Добавяме около 2 л вода, сол на вкус и оставяме супата да ври около 20-30 мин. Малко преди да е готова, слагаме чушките. Пробваме дали е сварена по твърдостта на морковите. След това добавяме ориза и нарязаните магданоз и копър. Измиваме и нарязваме спанака и го добавяме към сварените зеленчуци. Ври 3-5 минути и изключваме котлона. По желание поръсваме със смлени черен и лют червен пипер При поднасяне може да се добави кисело мляко на вкус.