Pork Stir-Fry with Sugar Snap Peas

I had some leftover cooked pork tenderloin in the freezer from when I made the five spice pork a couple of months ago and thought it would make a wonderful stir-fry. I found a recipe for stir-fried pork tenderloin with sugar snap peas in one of my Food Network cookbooks, so I adapted it to use my leftover pork. I have to say – I think that the five spice marinade probably worked better for this recipe than the marinade the original recipe called for ;). The marinade was basically a combination of coriander, jalapeno, brandy, honey, and five-spice. Everyone in the office definitely noticed how good my lunch smelled this week!

You could also make this recipe by starting with raw pork tenderloin (or chicken even) marinated in some of the sauce from the recipe. I would stir-fry it before stir frying the vegetables, take it out when the meat is just about cooked, and add it back in at the end.

Pork Stir-Fry with Sugar Snap Peas
Adapted from Making It Easy (Food Network Kitchens)

2 tbsp. soy sauce
4 tsp. palm sugar (or brown sugar)
2 tsp. sherry
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 tsp. sriracha
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 lb. cooked (leftover) pork tenderloin, cut into ½ inch cubes
½ lb. sugar snap peas
½ large red onion, sliced
3 scallions, sliced (keep white and green parts separate)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
Peanut oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Mix together the soy sauce, palm sugar, sherry, sesame oil, hoisin, and sriracha in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, whisk the cornstarch into two tablespoons of cold water. Set aside.
3. Heat up a little bit of peanut oil in a wok. Stir-fry the sugar snap peas and onion for about a minute until they are slightly cooked but still crisp.
4. Add the white parts of the green onion, the garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry for another minute or so.
5. Add the pork and stir-fry until heated through.
6. Add the soy sauce mixture into the wok and stir until heated through.
7. Finally, add the cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce thickens (probably about a minute).

Serve topped with the green parts of the scallions with some jasmine rice. Who needs takeout?

Basil and Arugula Pesto

I picked up some beautiful basil at Green City Market yesterday and decided to make some pesto. If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know I love to make a lot of something and freeze it for later, so that’s exactly what I did with my pesto: I saved a little bit for a couple of meals, and froze the rest in an ice cube tray for perfect little freezer portions.


I’ve read that, when freezing pesto, it’s best to omit the cheese and just add it after defrosting. I did just that, which is why I don’t have a cheese measurement in the recipe. I also added some arugula to the mix because I had some in my refrigerator that needed using, as well as some lemon zest to brighten the flavor a bit. I served it with some penne and grilled shrimp, but pesto is so versatile; it’s a great thing to keep on hand.

Basil and Arugula Pesto
2 c. basil
1 c. arugula
1/2 c. olive oil
1/3 c. pine nuts
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
Lemon zest

Combine the basil, arugula, olive oil, pine nuts, and chopped garlic in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper, to taste (but take it easy on the salt because the parmesan is salty). If you are not freezing the pesto, add some parmesan cheese and little bit of lemon zest.

To freeze, line an ice cube tray with plastic wrap and fill with the pesto. Cover with another layer of plastic wrap and freeze. When the pesto is frozen solid, transfer to a freezer bag.

Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

I was contemplating breakfast on my walk home from the gym the other morning and started craving smoked salmon. I had to stick with my standard ham sandwich breakfast that morning (yeah, I eat lunch food for breakfast), but I went to the grocery store after work and crafted this smoked salmon sandwich to have for the rest of the week. The possibilities are endless, but I decided on a filling of smoked salmon, herbed goat cheese spread, arugula, and cucumber. I also lightened up the goat cheese by adding some non-fat greek yogurt and lemon juice. It’s a great incentive to get myself out of bed in the morning!

½ c. non-fat greek yogurt
4 oz. herbed goat cheese
Juice of 2 lemons
1 shallot, chopped
Ground black pepper
Cucumber, thinly sliced
Arugula
Smoked salmon
Wheat bread

For the spread, combine the yogurt, goat cheese, lemon juice, and pepper in a food processor. Stir in the chopped shallot.

For the sandwich, spread a thin layer of the goat cheese spread on both sides of the bread. Add a layer of cucumber, a thin layer of salmon, and top with the arugula.