Category: High Protein

Entrees, High Protein, pork

Cast Iron Pork Loin with Raspberry habanero glaze

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

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Simple but so delicious is this stovetop/oven roast.  its a great option for work nights because it cooks up super fast and yummy.

  • Pork loin roast
  • olive oil
  • cast iron skillet ( seasoned preferably)

sauce -mix in a small bowl

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  • 2 TBS  Raspberry habanero jam
  • 2 TBS Brown Mustard
  • 2 TBS Soy sauce
  • 2 TBS Brown Sugar
  • 1 TBS Weber roasted garlic herb rub
  • extra heat tsp chili flakes optional

preheat over to 375

sear pork loin in hot skillet with oil on all sides

pour glaze over the meat in the hot skillet.

cover tightly with foil- very hot so carefully and place in oven 30-40 minutes or until roast reaches 165 degrees.  Don’t overcook.

Remove meat from pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

reserve Drippings for added sauce to drizzle over meat, rice , potatoes or just to dip your bread into.  So good.

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Entrees, High Protein, Seafood

More Fish Please! Tilapia

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

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I have really been working hard to get fish on the dinner table at least two times a week. Its such a healthy option that is high in protein, low fat and very satisfying.  I just have always hated the smell in my kitchen and to be honest the cost.  A good piece of Halibut is now cost in the ball park of $20 per pound.  And if you are not comfortable cooking fish you have the fear of destroying the mini investment. I have really enjoyed cooking the Tilapia loins from Costco.  they are a less pricey fish, that is a meaty texture that has no fishy-ness at all.  Also fast to cook.  thaw in fridge the morning of and cooks up on 12-15 minutes in the oven.

Recipe-

baked Tilapia with herb and lemon seasoning.

  • Tilapia filets
  • Olive Oil
  • garlic seasoning salts (webber brand is yummy)
  • lemon pepper
  • Italian  seasoned bread crumbs
  • fresh lemon slices
  • parmesan cheese

Line a baking sheet with heavy aluminum foil.  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

coat cooking area with light oil

sprinkle with seasoning to cover and arrange fish

lightly coat tops of fish with oil and sprinkle with seasonings, light sprinkle of breadcrumbs and parmesan  cheese.

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Bake at 400degrees for 12-14 minutes.  Internal temp reaches 145 degrees F

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Enjoy with wild rice, your favorite vegetable and or a salad. Mango salsa as a garnish is really nice as well to compliment the fish.  So versatile  and delicious.

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Entrees, Gluten Free, Dairy free, High Protein, Poultry, Soups and Appitizers, Traditions

Chili (shh…its healthy!)

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

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I love chili-  but chili doesn’t always love me.  the heat from spices as well as the fat from the red meat didn’t always sit well with my tum tum.  I ventured out to make a healthy hearty chili- with out all the fat but high in protein.  This recipe was a real home run with the family as well as hitting home with 98% fat free, low calorie, high fiber and high protein.  Punching almost 18 grams of protein per 1 heaping cup serving.

Recipe:

  • 1 Lb ground lean turkey browned
  • 1 cup each follow veggies
    • Yellow Onion
    • Mixed bell peppers
    • roasted sweet potato chopped
    • zucchini
    • cauliflower
  •  5 12 oz cans each of organic beans red kidney, black, pinto, great northern
  • Large can 28  oz crushed tomatoes
  • sm can 12 oz chopped roasted tomato
  • small can roasted green chilis
  • 2 tsp chopped jar garlic or 2 cloves cleaned and chopped
  • 2.5 TBS Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Cayenne  pepper (more to taste)
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp garlic powder

Veggies hiding in this pot!  so yummy.

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yes veggies! As you can see I added cauliflower, chopped zucchini, mixed bell peppers (frozen from my freezer shortcut) and not pictured sweet potato to add a bit of sweet spice.  1 cup of each.

98% fat free lean ground turkey
browned meat then add veggies to cook.
add tomatoes and spiced

 

Brown the ground turkey (98% Fat free lean) in a tablespoon of olive oil. drain any fat and add veggies, fresh garlic, pepper and garlic powder – cook until soften and to flavor the meat.  Add seasonings.

Let us talk Chili Power. they are not all alike. They all have salt and major color differences.  there is Organic, low sodium and smoker flavored.  so go to your spice store and explore. Taste- and see what you prefer. I like a darker color but the lighter has more flavor- so I do a three pic chili powder. img_5431

Then Cayenne to taste.  I go light to avoid the hot…

Beans! Beans! Beans!

Dried beans work great if you do the pre-soak the night before. This is a great option for the pressure cooker.  Doing dried beans in the pressure cooker can rush the process if canned is not available.  I use organic canned that has no added seasonings.  Black, red kidney, great northern and pinto. all fat free, high fiber and protein and full of flavor. Canned be sure you rinse the metallic slime water off before adding to your pot.

img_5427 Add your large crushed organic tomatoes, and a small can roasted red tomatoes as well as a can of roasted green chilis.  I also incorporated a half cup of TVP (Bobs Red Mill).  (Total vegetarian protein) It hides like the turkey meat and absorbs all the great flavor and added protein. really amazing product.

add tomatoes and spiced

 

Slow simmer for 2 hours.  If you don’t want to babysit the pot- stirring to insure it not scorch- trader to your large crock pot on 4 hour low.

Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped onions.  All optional.  This freezes fantastic.

 

Gluten Free, Dairy free, High Protein, kitchen Tips, Poultry

Grilled Chicken- easy weekend prep

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

img_5446My College student son is home for the summer and we had a challenge to each other to jump on the health train and do a summer workout challenge.  Part of the challenge was giving up sugars and carbs and eating more healthy protein and whole grains.  I have found with his appetite I need to have easy healthy proteins to throw on a salad or heat up with wild rice was the best. I love grilling a mess of chicken breast and then having them in the fridge for recipes.  Here is my easy grilled herb chicken breast.

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I like to get a the jumbo package of organic chicken breast and fillet each breast into two portions.  It cooks faster and seems to come out more juicy.

The big packs of chicken I will cook up half and then single wrap the other Breasts to put in the freezer for future use,

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I marinade in olive oil, herb de Provence seasoning, garlic seasoning and lemon pepper.  allow it to marinate at room temp for 30 minutes.

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then grille to 165 degrees. approximately 10 minutes each side on a hot  med high heat gas grille.

 

Then store in a airtight container in the fridge.  we seem to go thru these in less than a couple of days.  so good cold, or chopped in a salad.  Makes taco night a breeze when getting home from a long day at work.  Enjoy the shortcut.