Pretty Healthy

Quinoa pasta with kale and garlic

One of my favorites lunches to make contains some of the best ingredients for you and its easy to make. I stumbled upon this recipe while I was thinking of better ways to eat kale. We all know the leafy green is amazingly good for you, but tastes very bitter, which can be a turn off to some. I thought about sauteing the kale with olive oil and garlic, and lets be honest, garlic tastes incredibly amazing with pretty much everything, and then thought about putting some chicken stock in with it. Complete genius! I could not get over how well all of the ingredients blended together while also taking away the bitter taste of the kale. After making this lunch for a couple of weeks, I saw a box of quinoa pasta while I was out with my dad. This made a great lunch dish even better and still kept  everything healthy.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale, trimmed off of the stem
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 cup of quinoa pasta
• 1/2 cup of chicken stock
• A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

Directions:

Cook the pasta in a large pot according to the package instructions. Once done, set aside and wait for the kale to be finished. While the pasta is cooking, heat the evoo in a medium sized pot. Trim the kale leaves off of the stem. Make sure to wash the leaves and pat dry. Once the oil is ready, take the chopped garlic and place into the pot, making sure to stir frequently for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then take the 1/2 cup of chicken stock and pour into the pot with the garlic. Let the mixture come to a boil and then reduce to a low temperature. Place the kale into the pot, with the lid on, for about 5 minutes. Once the five minutes are up, take the lid off and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Once finished, take the pasta and place on a plate with the kale and garlic on top.

Healthy Bites

Balsamic Roast Pork Tenderloins

One of my favorite go to meals to make is Balsamic Roast Tenderloins. They're rather easy to make and pack a whole lot of flavor from all of the garlic and herbs piled high on top of them. Not only that, but this meal comprises of all healthy ingredients ranging from the garlic, herbs, and evoo. Garlic is known to be a natural immune booster, has loads of vitamin C and B6 in it, regulates blood sugar, fights bacterial infections, and reduces cholesterol. Rosemary is known to improve digestion, enhance memory concentration, fights free radicals in the brain, and boots the immune system with antioxidants. Thyme is rich in vitamin A, contains antiseptic and antibiotic properties, aids in digestion, improves the appearance of acne, and controls blood pressure levels. Without further ado, here is the yummy recipe you can enjoy while also reaping all of the healthy benefits!

What you'll need:

• 1 package or 4 pork tenderloins
• 4 tbls of balsamic vinegar
• 4 tbls of extra virgin olive oil  (evoo)
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• steak seasoning or coarse salt and pepper
• 4 sprigs of rosemary, stripped and finely chopped
• 4 sprigs of thyme, stripped and finely chopped

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
• Trim the fat off of the tenderloins
• Coat the tenderloins with balsamic vinegar. About 1 tbl spoon per tenderloin,
• Drizzle pork with evoo, just enough to coat
• Cut small slits into the meat and disperse chunks of garlic into the meat
• Combine steak seasoning with rosemary and thyme and rub meat with the blend.
• Place the tenderloins onto a nonstick cookie sheet.
• Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes.