Apricot Glazed Braised Pork Chops

Check out the past Cooking for One posts if you missed any of them. Marie Claire continues with one last recipe idea: Apricot Glazed Braised Pork Chops

Apricot-Glazed Braised Pork Chops

This super-simple recipe is great for a weeknight meal in a hurry. The apricot glaze, made from jam, takes just moments to make but tastes complex due to the spicy Dijon mustard and tangy vinegar. By braising the chops, the meat stays tender and moist.

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup apricot jam
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 boneless center-cut pork chops (about 11/4 inches thick), trimmed of fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 bay leaf

In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, mustard, vinegar, and jam.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Place the pork chops in the hot oil and brown about 3 minutes per side.

Remove the pork chops from pan and set aside. Add the chicken stock mixture to the pan and deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic clove and bay leaf. Reduce heat to a simmer. Return the pork chops to the pan, cover and braise until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the pork chops to a serving dish and tent lightly with foil to keep warm. Discard the garlic and bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a rapid boil and reduce to a thick glaze, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the glaze over the pork chops and serve.

From Glamour's Vitamin G blog, check out a recipe for Banana Pudding. They found it from Food Tales.

Microwave Banana Pudding

Adapted from BBC GoodFood Magazine, April 2010 pg.38

• 100 gram butter, softened
• 2 ripe bananas
• 100 gram Muscovado sugar (I used normal sugar) i'd use splenda
• 100 gram self-raising flour (I used normal flour)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon (I reduced to 1 tsp)
• 2 eggs (I replaced with Egg Replacer Powder) i'd use 4 egg whites
• 2 tbsp milk
• icing sugar, toffee sauce, and ice cream to serve, if you like ( I used ready made vanilla cream)

1. Put the butter in a 1-litre baking dish and microwave for about 30 secs-1 min until melted.
2. Add 1 1/2 mashed bananas, sugar, flour, cinnamon, eggs and milk. Mix together well.
3. Slice the remaining banana over the top, then return to the microwave and cook on High for 8 mins until cooked through and risen.
4. Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar, if you like, with a drizzle of toffee sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Best.Advice.Ever Part 12

If you missed the other parts of this, check them out here. This obviously is to do with my absolute obsession with "Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen" If you haven't seen the video, it is posted on part 1, or you can easily youtube it.

Get plenty of calcium.

For real-keep moving, you don't want old, fragile bones too early; keep the dance parties up and the calcium in

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Found this recipe for Frozen Hot Chocolate in a collection of recipes from Cosmopolitan.


Frozen Hot Chocolate

Serendipity is a NYC ice cream parlor that’s known for its over-the-top Frozen Hot Chocolate. By my own calculation, each overflowing glass packs in over 800 calories, 40 grams of fat, and 22 teaspoons of sugar. I was determined to create a slimmed-down version of this classic...and here it is! Now you can satisfy your chocolate cravings for only 150 calories and with virtually no fat. (Psst—try the variations. The peppermint one tastes like mint chocolate chip ice cream.)

SERVES 4 (SERVING SIZE: 1 GENEROUS CUP)

1/2 cup chocolate syrup

1 cup fat-free evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups ice cubes

Reduced-fat whipped topping or dark chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)

1. Combine the chocolate syrup, evaporated milk, vanilla, and ice in a blender and blend until completely smooth.

2. Pour into glasses, and garnish with a dollop of whipped topping or a sprinkling of chocolate shavings if desired.

Nutrition Information Calories 150 • Protein 5 g • Carbohydrate 32 g • Total fat 0 g Saturated fat 0 g • Cholesterol 0 mg • Fiber 0 g • Sodium 85 mg

VARIATIONS: Mexican Hot Chocolate: Add 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Substitute 1⁄4 teaspoon mint extract for the vanilla extract.

Fish and Chips

This recipe comes from Weight Watchers Beyond Chicken book.

Fish and Chips

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 45 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients

4 Sprays Olive Oil cooking spray
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 8 wedges each
1/4 tsp table salt or more to taste (enough for potatoes and fish)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper or more to taste (enough for potatoes and fish)
1/4 cup fat free milk
1 Tbsp Dijon mustar
1/2 cup seasoned dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup all purpose flour
20 oz uncooked cod (four 5 oz fillets)
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray. Place potato wedges on one baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray; season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. Whisk milk and mustard together in a shallow dish. Place bread crumbs in another shallow dish and put flour in a third shallow dish. Season both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Place fish in flour and turn to coat Place fish in milk mixture and turn to coat. Place fish in bread crumbs and turn to coat. Transfer fish to second prepared baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Bake until fish flakes easily with a fork; about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve fish and potato wedges with vinegar on the side.

Italian Style Stirfry

Got this recipe from my Weight Watchers leader back in Syracuse. It's an Italian spin on stirfry.

Italian-Style Stir-Fry

Makes 6 serving
Yields about 6 cups total

POINTS® value | 0 per serving

Ingredients

· 3 sprays cooking spray, olive oil-variety recommended

· 1 tsp olive oil

· 1 Tbsp fennel seeds

· 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

· 1/2 tsp salt

· 1 large Spanish onion, peeled, cut in half, thinly sliced

· 4 medium peppers, 1 each red, orange, yellow and green, thinly sliced

Instructions

· Coat a very large nonstick skillet (or wok) with cooking spray; heat over medium to medium-high heat. Add oil; heat until shimmering. Add fennel seeds and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add salt and onion; stir-fry for about 5 minutes. Add peppers; stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Notes

· How to make it faster: Buy precut vegetables at your grocery store or a salad bar. Or use thawed frozen pepper and onion strips (could affect texture).

Use any color or variety of pepper. Add chopped tomatoes and/or a tablespoon of fresh basil or 2 teaspoons of rosemary instead of the fennel. Oregano and thyme are nice additions, too.

Terrific over pasta, as a topping for a sandwich, or served with pork, chicken or fish.

From Southern Living's collection of Main Dish Salads, here is a recipe for Turkey-Artichoke Pecan Salad. I really like the idea of having a protein packed salad for dinner, especially on days where I know I didn't eat as well as I should have.

Turkey-Artichoke-Pecan Salad

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Chopped cooked turkey
• Canned artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
• Green onions, thinly sliced
• Chopped toasted pecans
• Feta cheese

Preparation

Whisk together vinegar, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Whisk in olive oil until blended. Toss with chopped turkey, chopped artichoke hearts, sliced green onions, chopped pecans, and feta cheese.

Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2009