Halloween is Coming!!

The excitement of Halloween is in the air!!

This is a picture from Halloween 2006. It is one of my favorite pictures of the girls.

I always forget how difficult the day before Halloween can be as a teacher. My students were very focused for the most part. Toward the end of the day I was on my last trick in the magic teaching bag and than it was time for dismissal. WHEWWWWW!

When the school day was over, the start of the weekend events had begun. The list of events includes 2 nights of parties for older daughter, neighborhood party that I am co-hosting, dance class for younger daughter, cross-country race for older, and Sunday dinner with out of town relatives. I am sure I am missing something! With all of that I plan to cook and cook some more. I have guest to impress

Wanted to include in tonight’s recipe post another quick and easy Fall dish: Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Apple Chutney.

Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Apple Chutney

Adapted from: www.fooddownunder.com

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

        3/4    cup  Olive oil
        3    tbl  Chopped garlic
      4 1/2    tsp  Ground cumin
      1 1/2    tsp  Cayenne pepper
      1 1/2    tsp  Ground cinnamon
          3     lb  Pork tenderloin

-----------------  APPLE CHUTNEY  ----------------
          3    cup  Finely chopped peeled Granny Smith apples, about 4 medium
          1    cup  Chopped onion
          1    cup  Packed brown sugar
          1    cup  Water
        3/4    cup  Cider vinegar
        1/2    cup  Chopped red bell pepper
        1/2    cup  Dried currants
          1    tbl  Chopped peeled fresh ginger
      1 1/2    tsp  Chopped garlic
          1    tsp  Salt
        1/2    tsp  Crushed red pepper
        1/4    tsp  Ground nutmeg
        1/4    tsp  Ground allspice
                    Pinch of cloves

Method:
FOR PORK TENDERLOIN: Combine oil, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper and cinnamon in bowl. Rub over pork. Cover pork and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat large nonstick skillet over high heat.

Season pork with salt and pepper. Add to skillet in batches and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer pork to large baking pan.

Roast pork until thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 155 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork to platter; let rest 5 minutes.
 

Cut pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange on plates; serve with chutney.

FOR APPLE CHUTNEY:

Combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is slightly syrupy, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.

 

Season chutney to taste with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate)

Together this dish made a nice pairing.

Well it is late and I must pick up the oldest from party #1.

More tomorrow………….

Mom on the Run Practices “Ohmmmmmmm”

If only I was this fit and flexible!!

Yes fellow Mom on the Run readers, I went to YOGA yesterday. If you can recall I set a few wellness goals for myself this month.

Here is a re-cap….

1. Drink at least 64 oz of water daily.

2. Go to the Gym at least once a week.

3. Continue blogging!!

I have done all of the following this week, now I need to keep it up!

Yoga was amazing yesterday. The instructor was new to me so I did not know what type of workout to expect. It was a complete body work out and I realized half way through the work out that I am completely out of shape. Poses that I could so so well and naturally are extremely difficult for me now. My extra 15 pounds that I have gained since July are not helping my workouts. I knew that I got a great workout due to the fact that I am so SOREEEEE! This is unacceptable to me! When I get mad I want to make it better. I need to workout more.

Help me plan a workout for today after school (No time for the gym, I have book club tonight). Should I:

• Do 30 minutes of Wii Personal Trainer
• Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred
• 2 mile walk

I will post later tonight. I just wanted to stop by and get some advice! Hope your Thursday has been great

Eat Clean Breakfast Apple Pumpkin Muffins

Good Morning Everyone!

It is another drizzly dreary fall day here in New England. Getting up has been getting harder and harder because 1. It is so dark out and 2. Rain makes me sleepy!

I have seen a lot of recipes and post regarding baked goods with pumpkin in them. I LOVE pumpkin! This is a relatively new flavor concept for Mom on the Run. When I was younger I would not touch pumpkin, now I am trying to infuse the flavor in any dish I make.

I wanted to find a recipe that I could use as a good pick me up snack for days I need something quick and easy. I have been picking at junk food in these times of need and I wanted to have a better alternative than Halloween Oreos (that orange center gets me every time). Here is another Tosca Reno Eat Clean Recipe for a very yummy muffin that tides your tummy over until the next meal.

Apple Pumpkin Muffins

Adapted from Tosca Reno Eat Clean Cookbook

Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup plain kefir
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup of pureed pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups pureed sweet potatoes
• 1 cup of unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/4 cup of apple butter
• 1/2 cup of canola oil
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses

Dry Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup flaxseed
• 1/4 cup sucanat
• 1 tbsp of apple pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice)
• 2 1/4 cups of whole grain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 cup pitted prunes, chopped
• 1/2 cup of walnut pieces

How to:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Muffins need a hot oven to properly bake. Line Muffin tin with paper liners.

Combine all wet ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Do not over mix- this makes the muffins go flat and rubbery.

Fill the muffins tins three-quarters full. Bake in hot oven for 25 minutes.

The delicious final product!

This recipe was a Mom on the Run Mantra recipe: easy, fast, and delicious. I actually baked!!

Don’t forget to enter Mom on the Run’s Inspiration Giveaway which started today. Click here to see the details of a great prize pack

Another Great Giveaway to announce (anything for Rachael Ray!!!)

Check in later for double post day treat…..See if Mom on the Run fulfills her goal of going to the gym today. Wish me luck

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