I fell in love with Kapusta when I first tried it at the Polish deli around the corner from my house.

It was so easy to stop on my way home for an order of this side dish plus some of their breaded pork cutlets, to make an easy and tasty dinner. They sadly closed a few years ago, but I was up to the challenge of recreating this amazing recipe.

What you’ll love about this kapusta recipe:

• Easy to make
• Simple, Common ingredients add up to tons of flavor
• Freezes well for meal prepping or for storing leftovers. It’s even better the second day and is great at room temperature.

What is Kapusta?

Kapusta is the Polish word for cabbage, which is what forms the base of this dish.

The shredded cabbage (or sauerkraut) is cooked in bacon grease with sauteed onions and crispy bacon bits.

Like many Polish dishes, it’s hearty and comforting and perfect for winter weather. It’s traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve or for a Sunday dinner, but it’s one of my favorite easy recipes to make during the week–it’s the perfect side dish to go with kielbasa or pierogi.

Kapusta Ingredients

There are so many ways to make kapusta and every Polish grandmother has her own recipe. There’s really no right way or wrong way, it’s all about what you grew up with and what you prefer.

To make my version, you’ll need:

• Sauerkraut. Use your favorite sauerkraut for this recipe. I typically buy fresh sauerkraut from the deli, but it’s also delicious with homemade sauerkraut. Whatever you choose, just be sure to drain it well before adding it to your pan. If you prefer, you can also make kapusta with fresh cabbage.
• Bacon. Good-quality smoked bacon adds so much flavor to this recipe. Get the good stuff from your favorite butcher.
• Onions. The onions add another layer of sweet flavor to this dish, and they cook down to almost nothing.
• Brown sugar. You don’t need much, just a bit to offset the sharp sourness of the sauerkraut.
• Salt and pepper.

I keep my version of kapusta super simple, but many people also like to add caraway seeds or bay leaves to theirs. Wild mushrooms are also a popular addition!

How to Make Fried Sauerkraut

First, heat a large skillet on the stovetop and cook the bacon. I like to cook the bacon until it is crispy. When it’s cooked, pull it out of the pan and set it aside.

Dice the onions and sautee them in that wonderful bacon fat. Cook them until they’re translucent and soft but not brown.

Add the sauerkraut and brown sugar to the onion mixture and cook until everything is warmed through.

Is This an Authentic Kapusta Recipe?

There are countless ways to make kapusta, with each chef, Polish family, or just a fan of the dish making it their own special way. 

There are, however, some commonalities between many kapusta recipes. They all start with cabbage (either fresh or fermented like sauerkraut), they’re all slowly cooked, and many of them have bacon in them. 

What to Serve with Kapusta

My favorite way to enjoy this humble Polish dish is with kielbasa and homemade pierogies. The garlicky kielbasa and the soft, pillowy pierogies are comfort food for me, and the meal is complete with delicious kapusta on the side.

Other options that pair well with this Polish recipe are mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or cabbage rolls. And you can never go wrong with a slice of hearty Polish rye bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

More healthy side dishes you’ll love:

• Horseradish Mashed Potatoes with Crispy Shallots
• Vegetarian Rice Pilaf
• Healthy Broccoli Casserole
• Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad
• Roast Frozen Vegetables
• Brussels Sprout Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

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Kapusta

This is Polish comfort food at its finest. Fried sauerkraut is a simple recipe that can be made with just a few ingredients, and it's perfect for a winter meal. The bacon and onion add a delicious depth of flavor to the sauerkraut, and it's all cooked until it's nice and mellow. Serve this kapusta with your favorite side dish, like mashed potatoes or egg noodles, and for a simple but satisfying weeknight treat.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword braised sauerkraut, kapusta, polish recipes, sauerkraut

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 147kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon cut into small pieces
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 16 ounces sauerkraut drained
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

• Add the bacon to a large frying pan over medium high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered.
• Add the onions an cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened and light golden brown. If the pan is too dry, you can add a teaspoon or two of olive oil.
• Stir in the sauerkraut, brown sugar, and water. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, until heated through and light golden brown.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 899mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg

Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash: The Perfect Fall Meal

Acorn squash is a popular fall side dish. It’s usually served with lots of butter and maple syrup and while absolutely delicious prepared that way, I also love stuffing it with a savory filling and serving it as the main event. 

This sausage stuffed acorn squash recipe seems too good to be true.

It’s made with just a few simple but flavor-packed ingredients that I almost always have in my fridge or freezer.

And cooking the squash in an Instant Pot means it’s ready in just a few minutes. 

And it’s SO GOOD. 

Most people expect acorn squash to be sweet since they’re so used to pairing it with syrup, but it really isn’t a super sweet squash at all. To me, it tastes a lot like butternut squash, but with a deeper, more intense flavor. I love pairing acorn squash with unexpected flavors like a honey-chipotle glaze or creamy risotto. 

For this comforting dinner recipe, I stuffed them with Italian sausage and spinach. Then I added caramelized onions and diced apples to add a little bit of that sweetness people expect. 

How to make Instant Pot acorn squash

Instant Pot acorn squash is an absolute game-changer! 

The one thing that keeps me from making winter squash more often is that it takes so long to bake.

But with a pressure cooker, you can make acorn squash in literally 13 minutes. It takes longer than that for my oven just to heat up! I can’t tell you how much I love this recipe. 

To make acorn squash in the Instant Pot, start by cutting your squash in half and scooping out the seeds. If you want, you can save the seeds and roast them. 

Place the trivet in the bottom of your Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup of water.

Then add the squash. It doesn’t matter what direction that face or anything like that – just pile them in!

Depending on how big they are, I can fit 3 to 4 acorn squash in my 6-quart pot. 

Lock the lid in place and cook the squash for 5 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally.

It takes about 3 minutes for the pot to come to pressure and 5 minutes for the pressure to release, which means your Instant Pot acorn squash is ready in 13 minutes.

You really can’t beat that! 

(If you get an Instant Pot burn message, don’t worry. It’s easy to troubleshoot!)

How to Make Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

You have a few options for making the sausage filling for these acorn squash.

If your priority is limiting the number of dishes you have to wash, you can wait until the squash is cooked, remove it from the Instant Pot, and make the stuffing in the pot using the sautee function. 

Or you can do what I usually do and cook the stuffing on the stove while the squash cooks.

It dirties an extra pan, but multitasking gets dinner on the table a few minutes faster.

Stovetop Method

Start by cooking a sliced onion until it softens and begins to caramelize.

Then, add crumbled Italian sausage and cook through.

Finally, stir in some baby spinach and diced apple. Cover the pan and cook for a few minutes, until the spinach wilts and the apple softens. I also like to add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to balance out the sweetness of the apple. 

This sausage stuffing is so simple to make, but it has great flavor. I’ve tried adding rice or bread to the mixture, but it honestly doesn’t need it – and adding too much bulk makes too much filling anyway. 

More healthy winter squash recipes to enjoy

• How to roast acorn squash
• How to Bake Spaghetti Squash
• Roasted Butternut Squash
• Miso Maple Roasted Carrots + Squash
• Honey Chipotle Roast Acorn Squash
• Curried butternut squash soup with shrimp
• Chicken Carbonara Spaghetti Squash Boats (Paleo, Whole 30)
• Butternut Squash Bisque with Maple Whipped Cream

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Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Need a new go-to winter dinner? This easy sausage stuffed acorn squash recipe is made with just 7 simple ingredients and can be on the table in under 15 minutes!

Course Gluten-Free

Cuisine American

Keyword instant pot acorn squash, sausage stuffed acorn squash, stuffed acorn squash

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 246kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion sliced
• 4 sweet Italian sausage links casing removed
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 apple diced
• 1 generous pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

• Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. 
• Add the trivet to your instant pot and pour in 1 cup of water. Place the squash on the trivet. Lock the lid in place and turn the pressure valve to the sealing position. 
• Cook under high pressure for 5 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. 
• While the squash cooks, heat the oil in a skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes, or until light golden brown. 
• Stir in the sausage and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook 4-5 minutes, or until sausage is cooked through. 
• Add the spinach and apple. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the apple is soft.
• Spoon 1 cup of the sausage mixture into each squash half. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1squash half | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 496mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g

OK, I know what you’re thinking.

What on earth is a chaffle?

No, that’s not a typo. A chaffle is a grain-free, low carb waffle that’s great for people following a keto diet. At their simplest, chaffles are a mixture of eggs and cheese that’s baked in a waffle iron until it’s light and fluffy inside and crisp on the edges. Just like the perfect homemade waffle. 

These low carb waffles have taken the internet by storm over the last few weeks – and for good reason! They’re an amazing low carb substitute for bread, and people have been stuffing them with all sorts of fun fillings and also using them to make sandwiches and pizzas. 

I’ll be honest. At first, I thought they sounded weird. But the more I thought about it, the more appealing a savory chaffle sounded. I eat carbs but Shawn doesn’t, so I made these chaffles with ham, jalapeno peppers, and scallions as a treat for him.

Of course, I couldn’t stop nibbling at them myself! It really is impressive how fluffy and bread-like they are! They definitely taste cheesy, but they aren’t eggy at all. 

If traditional waffles are more your style and you aren’t counting carbs, try my sweet corn waffles with blueberry sauce or this buttermilk waffle recipe. 

If you love jalapenos and cheese, you might also want to ry these low carb smoked jalapeno poppers.

How do you make a savory low carb waffle? 

These savory ham and cheese chaffles are so easy to make! Start by grating 2 ounces of cheddar cheese. You can use pre-shredded cheese, but I really liked how they came out when I shredded a fresh block with my finest grater. 

Next, mix in 2 eggs along with two teaspoons of coconut flour, diced ham steak, grated jalapeno pepper, and chopped scallions. 

Cook the batter in a hot waffle iron coated with coconut oil or ghee spray for 2-3 minutes, or until it’s golden brown and puffed. It should pull off of the waffle iron really easily. It will be soft and bready and first, but the edges will crisp up as the cheese cools. 

A lot of people like to use a mini waffle maker for this, but I use my full-size version. Just spoon the batter in the middle and know that you’re waffle won’t be as big as the waffle iron is. 

When the cheese is grated really finely, it practically melts into the egg and creates a thick batter before it even hits the hot waffle iron. I use the same grater to grate my jalapeno. That way it blends evenly into the batter and you don’t have to worry about accidentally getting too much in one bite. It might give the batter a slightly green tinge, but that will go away once they’re cooked. 

Are chaffles healthy? 

My first reaction to the thought of a cheese and egg waffle was that there was no way that it’s healthy. But when you break it down into its individual ingredients, it’s really not much different than an omelet. Plus they use less cheese than most omelets do, with just ¼ ounce of cheese each. They are a little high in fat and cholesterol, but low in carbs and moderate in calories, so it all depends on what you prioritize for your personal diet. 

Sharp cheddar is naturally low in lactose, but you can also make these chaffles with non-dairy cheese shreds.

Can you make sweet chaffles? 

Yes! Sweet keto waffles are totally a thing. Most are made with mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar for a milder flavor. I love the look of these pumpkin chaffles and can’t wait to make them myself.  If you’re weirded out by the thought of cheese for breakfast, I’m a big fan of Swerve’s low carb pancake and waffle mix.

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Savory Chaffles with Ham and Jalapenos

Low carb ham and cheddar waffles have jalapeno and scallions for extra flavor. These "chaffles" are perfect for people on a low carb or keto diet!

Course Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword chaffle, ham and cheese waffle, keto recipe, low carb recipe, low carb waffle

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 119kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

• Coconut Flour
• Ghee Oil Spray
• Mini Waffle Iron

Ingredients

• 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ jalapeno pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ounces ham steak
• 1 scallion
• 2 teaspoons coconut flour

Instructions

• Shred the cheese using the finest grater you have. Remove the seeds from the jalapeno and grate it on the same grater. Finely chop the ham and scallion.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.
• Pour 1/4 of the batter into a hot waffle iron sprayed with cooking spray (I like using coconut oil or ghee spray for the best flavor). Cook 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and crispy around the edges.
• Remove the waffle from the waffle iron – it will continue to crisp as it cools.
• Repeat with the remaining batter.
• Enjoy these chaffles warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Chaffles reheat best on a baking sheet in the oven, or in a toaster oven (not a pop up style toaster)

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 308mg | Sugar: 1g

A Cubano, but make it low carb!

I was craving a Cuban sandwich the other day, but Shawn has been following a low carb diet so we haven’t been eating a lot of bread. Enter, Cubano stuffed pork loin!

That’s right, I rolled ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and mustard into a pork tenderloin marinated in garlicky mojo. Then I threw it on the grill until it was charred on the outside and gooey on the inside.

It was the best damn pork loin I’ve ever eaten. It was so juicy and flavorful! I’ll be making this keto pork tenderloin all summer long. It would be perfect for the 4th of July!

To keep our meal low carb, I served this stuffed pork tenderloin loin with grilled asparagus and mashed cauliflower. If you aren’t watching carbs, slide a slice right onto a burger bun for a super awesome Cuban style sandwich. Leftovers – if you have any – are delicious straight from the fridge.

If you love Cuban flavors, you’ll also love these Cuban-Style Beef Lettuce Wraps with Pickled Onions (Paleo, Whole 30, Dairy Free) or Cuban Bean Patties with Pineapple Rice.

How to stuff and tie pork loin:

Stuffed pork tenderloin so much easier to make than it looks! First, you’ll want to butterfly your pork and pound it really thin. Hold a sharp knife parallel to your cutting board and split to pork nearly in half, length-wise. It should open like a book.

Next, cover the pork with plastic wrap and pound it with a meat mallet until it’s about ½ inch thick. Layer on your stuffing ingredients – mustard, pickles, ham, and Swiss cheese for this recipe – then, starting at the long side, tightly roll the pork around the filling.

To keep the fillings secure, you’ll need to tie the pork tenderloin with kitchen twine. You can use short pieces of twine and knot each one at the top, or use one long piece and twist it around itself to secure it every time it comes around the top.

Here’s a video that shows you how to cut and tie the pork tenderloin:

If you don’t have twine, you can use toothpicks to keep everything closed up tightly. In a pinch, unwaxed and unflavored dental floss with also does the job.

How to grill a stuffed pork Tenderloin:

To grill the stuffed pork tenderloin, heat your grill to high heat. Place the pork on the grill, seam-side down, then grill for 4 minutes on each side, or until deeply browned and charred. Next, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook the pork over indirect heat for 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer shows that it’s reached an internal temperature of 155 degrees.

Remove the pork from the grill and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before removing the twine and slicing it.

How to bake a stuffed pork Tenderloin:

If you don’t have a grill or the weather isn’t cooperating, you can also bake this Cubano pork loin in the oven.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and place the pork seam-side down in a roasting pan. Bake 10 minutes, or until the pork begins to brown. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake 45-55 minutes, or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees. As with the grilled tenderloin, you’ll want to be sure to let the pork rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

looking for more ways to cook pork loin? Try this German-inspired pork loin slow cooker recipe .

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Cubano Stuffed Pork Loin

A Cubano, but make it low carb! This pork tenderloin is marinated in garlicky mojo, then stuffed with ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. Yum!

Cuisine South American

Keyword cubano pork loin, cubano stuffed pork loin, stuffed pork loin

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Additional Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 424kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

• Kitchen Twine in Holder
• Instant Read Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork tenderloin loin
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 orange juiced
• 1 lime juiced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ pound sliced ham
• ¼ pound sliced Swiss cheese
• ½ cup dill pickles sliced

Instructions

• Butterfly the pork tenderloin and pound it to a 1/2-inch thickness. Place the pork in a shallow dish. Cover with the olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, and garlic; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Remove the pork from the marinade and place it on a cutting board. Spread the pork with mustard, then layer it with ham and Swiss. Scatter the pickles over the cheese. Starting at the long end, tightly roll the pork around the filling; secure with kitchen twine or toothpicks.
• Heat your grill to high. Place the pork onto the grill, seam-side down. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, until browned. Reduce heat to medium low; cook the pork loin over indirect heat for 20 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 150-155 degrees. (You can also make this stuffed pork loin in the oven: Bake it for 10 minutes at 450 degrees, then cook at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until it's cooked through.)
• Remove the pork tenderloin from the grill and tent it with foil. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes, then remove the twin and slice into rounds.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 635mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g

This sweet and sour pork stir fry recipe is one of my favorites from my Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook.

It’s based on one of my favorite meals growing up: my mom’s sweet and sour meatballs.

I brought it into the 21st century by using fresh pineapple and ginger and adding honey to help sweeten it naturally.

And, of course, I turned it into a one-pot meal that you can make in a skillet in under a half hour. This recipe is perfect for hectic weeknights! 

This sweet and sour pork stir fry is definitely hearty enough to enjoy on its own, but you can also serve it over rice or cauliflower rice if you want to stretch it into more servings. 

Ingredients and Substitutions

The ingredients for this pork stir fry recipe look super simple but it’s so delicious. the sauce is thick enough to cling to every bite and has a great balance of sweet and tangy flavor. To make it, you’ll need:

Fresh ginger. It has so much more flavor than powdered ginger.

Pork loin. This is a great lean protein option, but you can also use chicken or beef.

Pineapple. I love making this recipe with fresh pineapple, but you can swap in frozen pineapple in a pinch,. Just be sure to thaw and drain it so your stir fry doesn’t get waterlogged.

Bell pepper. You can use any color bell pepper you want. I usually grab red or green.

Green Beans. Or broccoli or your favorite green vegetable.

Apple cider vinegar. This gives the sweet and sour sauce it’s traditional sour flavor.

Light brown sugar.

Honey.

Low-sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free. You can also use coconut aminos, but you’ll want to add some salt if you do.

Cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

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Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry

As a kid, sweet and sour meatballs were one of my favorite dinners. I brought my mom’s sweet and sour sauce into the twenty-first century with this pork stir fry recipe that's perfect for easy week-night dinners. This stir-fry is substantial enough to stand on its own but is also great served over rice.

Course Healthy One Pan Recipes

Cuisine Asian

Keyword pork stir fry, sweet and sour pork stir fry

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 302kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 pound pork loin cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 green bell pepper cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 ounces green beans trimmed
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.
• Add the ginger. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add the pork. Coo for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned but not fully cooked through.
• Stir in the pineapple, green bell pepper, green beans, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the pork is cooked though.

Notes

Substitution tip: Use boneless, skinless chicken breast instead of pork loin

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Fiber: 2g

These Spanish-style potatoes with chorizo and broccoli are one of the best things I’ve eaten lately.

The potatoes are crisp on the cut edges but buttery and smooth inside. The broccoli takes on the flavors of the chorizo and is just about as delicious as broccoli can be. Chorizo is, well, chorizo (love.) Briny olives add a bright pop of flavor that cuts through the earthy paprika.

And, possibly best of all, it only takes about a half hour start to finish.

This recipe is adapted from one I found for Spanish-style potatoes in an issue of Cooking Light. They immediately caught my eye as I was flipping through the pages and I knew I wanted to make them. I also knew that they needed chorizo. The original recipe is a side dish; mine is a full-fledged sheet pan dinner. I’m not entirely sure why the folk at Cooking Light didn’t take it that extra step – they should have.

What kind of chorizo should I use?

To keep this recipe for Spanish-style potatoes with chorizo Whole 30 compliant (or paleo, if you include white potatoes) be sure to look for chorizo that doesn’t have added sugar in the ingredients. It should be pretty easy to find at most grocery stores (the first one I picked up at our neighborhood market fit the bill perfectly).

Look for smoked chorizo for this recipe, not fresh chorizo which has a different flavor all together – the package should indicate that the sausage is fully cooked.

How about the potatoes?

To keep this sheet pan meal cooking quickly, you’ll want to use very small potatoes, no larger than 2-3 inches in diameter. I love buying bags of baby potatoes for this recipe.

Steamables potatoes are easy to find and are a perfect size! I just cut the bag open and use the potatoes as is (don’t microwave them!)

What are the best olives for this recipe?

Don’t skip the olives at the end – they really make the recipe special and keep the other flavors from seeming too heavy and muddled. I used Spanish manzanilla olives, which I stirred in at the end. Look for a version with the pits removed, and skip the pimiento stuffing. For the best quality and price, I usually skip the aisle and head straight for the olive bar so I can just buy the amount that I need. If you don’t like olives, capers would have the same effect and can be swapped in (I’d use about 2 tablespoons.)

If you have extra paprika, use it up in this recipe for Hungarian goulash soup!

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Sheet Pan Spanish Style Potatoes with Chorizo

Course Healthy One Pan Recipes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 468kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 pound baby red potatoes halved
• 1 head broccoli cut into florets (about 4 cups)
• 1 pound smoked chorizo cut into rounds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3 tablespoons chopped green olives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Instructions

• Heat your oven to 400ºF.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, broccoli, oil, and paprika. Mix well, then pour onto a sheet pan in a single layer. Scatter the chorizo over the potatoes. 
• Bake 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, stirring halfway through. Remove from the oven and stir in the olives, parsley, and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 1057mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g

This kale-blueberry salad with jerk pork is one of my favorite things lately. I’ve made it twice in the last two weeks – and I probably would have made it a third time, but we were away on vacation. Plus, I need to keep trying new things or I’d never have any recipes to share here. (This recipe is also what inspired my jerk turkey burgers with pineapple salsa!)

As it is, I can’t take credit for creating this recipe – the chefs at Sun Basket created it and it’s pretty brilliant. I love the flavor and texture of the blueberry and cucumber. I never would have thought to put those ingredients together on my own, but now I’m obsessed. It’s super refreshing combo that I’ll be eating all summer.  The dressing, made with lime juice, honey, and shallot, is similar to the one I used on my Southwest Barbecue Chicken Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing and it’s crazy good.

Sun Basket Review

We’ve been getting Sun Basket deliveries every week since February, and Shawn and I both really love it. I’ve tried a few other meal delivery boxes, but none of them were this exciting. Sun Basket takes a really creative approach to their menus, and they aren’t afraid of big, bold flavors. In the past 16 or so weeks, there have only been one or two recipes that I didn’t completely love. Plus the whole not having to go to the grocery store thing kind of has me spoiled.

As much as I love cooking and coming up with my own recipes, I never have the energy or motivation to be creative on weeknights after work. These boxes have been a lifesaver. Instead of being tempted to order delivery, I’m never more than a few minutes away from a nutritious, homemade dinner. The recipes are incredibly easy to make, most of them are super fast (15-20 minutes!), and I almost always have plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.

If you want to give them a try, you can use my referral link and get $35 off their new lean & clean meals.

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Kale-Blueberry Salad with Jerk Pork Loin

Servings 2

Calories 500kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 boneless pork loin chops 6-ounces each
• 1 teaspoon jerk seasoning
• 1 red bell pepper finely diced
• ½ seedless cucumber sliced
• ½ cup blueberries
• 1 shallot thinly sliced
• 1 lime juiced
• ½ teaspoon honey
• Red chile flakes
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 6 cups baby kale

Instructions

• Pat the pork dry with a paper towel; season with salt and rub all over with the jerk seasoning.
• In a large bowl, combine the bell pepper, cucumber, blueberries, shallots, lime juice, honey, chile flakes, and 2 tablespoons oil and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand while you prepare the pork.
• In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add the pork and cook, turning frequently, until browned but still faintly pink within, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes, then slice crosswise.
• While the pork rests, add the baby kale and half the cilantro to the salad and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with sliced pork.

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcal | Protein: 45g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4.5g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 410mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g

When I was a kid, I’d go to the grocery store with my mom and I remember standing at the deli counter for what seemed like hours. I spent most of that time staring at the giant ham covered with pineapple rings and cherries and wondering if maybe this would be the time the time that we might get to bring some home. I’ve always loved pineapple, and that ham looked like heaven.

Of course, you never get anything if you don’t actually ask for it, so eventually I did. And it didn’t live up to my expectations at all. I was so disappointed. There was no sign of the pineapple, and the ham was limp and flavorless. I pretty much steered clear of the ham pineapple combination ever since (except on pizza).

I recently decided to give the combo a second change. First, I started with a smoked ham, so I knew there would be tons of flavor. Then I covered it with a glaze made from crushed pineapple, a smidge of brown sugar to help things caramelize, and sriracha to spice it up. The sweet and spicy glaze has tons of flavor and was definitely a big hit.

I served the pineapple-sriracha baked ham with winter vegetable mac and cheese, but it would also be great with a more tradtional mac and cheese recipe, scalloped potatoes, or mashed potatoes.

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Pineapple-Sriracha Baked Ham

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 cups crushed pineapple
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoons sriracha
• 1 small boneless smoked ham about 2.5 pounds

Instructions

• Heat your oven to 300ºF.
• In a saucepan set over medium heat, combine the pineapple, brown sugar, and sriracha. Cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half – about 5 minutes.
• Score the ham and place it in a baking dish. Spread one third of the glaze over the ham. Bake 1 hour.
• Remove the ham from the oven and spread with half of the remaining glaze. Return to the oven and bake 45-60 minutes, or until warmed through.
• Slice thinly and serve with remaining glaze.

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What are your feelings about combining meat and fruit?

I know it isn’t everyone’s thing, but I’m a big fan of adding fruit to savory recipes.

As long as you keep the flavors balanced, fruit can add a nice layer of sweetness and bright flavor to your recipe. I especially love cooking with grapes because they aren’t too sugary or syrupy. They’re delicious with braised chicken, on pizza with goat cheese, or with these hearty pork chops.

I bought a big container of green, purple, and red grapes for these pan roast pork chops. I love the beautiful colors and I’ll have tons of grapes left over to snack on throughout the week. You don’t have to get that fancy though – any seedless grapes are ok in this recipe. Green grapes have a cleaner, bright flavor while the darker ones have a deeper, jammy thing going on. Either way,  you can’t go wrong.

When it comes to the pork chops themselves, I like a thick, bone-in chop for this recipe. Sear the pork in a cast iron pan (this one is my go to) then transfer them to a hot oven to finish cooking. This will give the chops a nice, golden brown crust without overcooking them. They’ll stay nice and juicy inside!

It’s important to let the pork chops rest after you take them out of the oven, but that gives you time to make a quick (but sooooo delicious) pan sauce with shallot, rosemary, thyme, and chicken stock. If you feel like it, you can also add a big pat of butter to make the finished silky smooth (without the butter, this recipe is Whole 30 complaint.)

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Pan Roast Pork Chops with Grapes (Whole 30)

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 112kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 bone-in pork chops about 3/4 pound each
• salt and pepper
• 1 shallot mined
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon butter optional
• 1 ½ cup seedless grapes halved

Instructions

• Heat your oven to 400ºF.
• Heat the olive oil in a cast iron pan set over high heat. Add the pork chops and cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until deeply browned. Transfer to the oven and roast 8-10 minutes, or until cooked through.
• Remove the pan to the oven and transfer the pork chops to a plate to rest. Pour all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan and return it to the stove.
• Add the shallot and garlic and cook over medium heat until softened, 3-4 minutes. stir in the rosemary and thyme and cook 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a rapid simmer; let reduce for 1/3.
• Stir in the butter, if using. Add the grapes and cook 2-3 minutes, or until warmed through.
• Serve the grapes and sauce over the pork chops.

Notes

To keep this recipe Whole 30 compliant, omit the butter. The sauce won't be as velvety, but it's still incredibly tasty!

Each pork chop will serve two people.

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g

This post was sponsored by the National Honey Board. Thank you for supporting the products that keep me inspired in the kitchen.

Lazy summer days are quickly transitioning into busy fall nights. I love this time of year, and even though I haven’t been in school in well over a decade I still have the urge to buy new notebooks, pens, and maybe even a new outfit or two. You can  feel the excitement in the air – everyone seems to have a sense of urgency about themas they balance hectic schedules and try to soak up the last few long, mild nights before fall settles in.

These days, grilling is saved for lazy weekends. Weeknight dinners need to be on the table fast! Stir fry is perfect. This honey-ginger pork stir fry can be on the table in 15 minutes, with very little prep work needed and only one pan to wash.

Honey adds tons of flavor to the sauce, while balancing out the zesty flavors of ginger and garlic. It will make even the most adamant vegetable-haters eat every last bite! Honey also helps attract moisture and lock it in, keeping the pork extra juicy.

When I was in cooking school, the stir fry unit was one of my favorites. I’ve eaten plenty of stir fry in my life, but it wasn’t a technique that I had a lot of experience with before. As it turns out, stir fry is really easy and is perfect for busy nights!

Since the food cooks quickly over high heat, it’s important to take a few minutes to set everything up before you start. Cut your meat into bite-sized pieces, trim your vegetables, and mix up your sauce before you start cooking.

If you have a wok, now’s the time to pull it out. The sloped sides are specifically designed for dishes like this one: if food starts to get too hot, you can push it to the side where it’s cooler and less likely to burn. I don’t have a wok, so I use a large, heavy pan set over a small burner.

This recipe is delicious as it’s written, but feel free to get creative. Swap out the pork loin for chicken breast if that’s what you like. Or, try asparagus or snow peans in place of the green beans. If you want some heat, you can even sprinkle on some crushed red pepper or stir a teaspoon of chili paste into the sauce. The options are endless, which means you can make a new variation even week and it never gets old.

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Honey Ginger Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 88kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ¼ cup honey
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch or tapioca starch
• 2 inches fresh ginger grated (about 2 teaspoons)
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral cooking oil
• 1 pound pork tenderloin cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ pound green beans trimmed and cut in half (about 2 cups)
• cooked brown rice for serving

Instructions

• In a small dish, combine the honey, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, and garlic. Set aside.
• Add the oil to a large skillet or wok set over high heat. When hot, add the pork. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Push the pork the the sides of the pan; add the green beans to the center. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beans and pork are cook through, another 3-5 minutes.
• Stir the sauce into the pan; cook 1 minute. Immediately remove from heat.
• Serve over brown rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g