edible sound bites

Sore Muscles are no fun!

Eating chicken every day of the week is also no fun.

If you lift weights/train or are like most families then its probably something you eat a lot of.

So to break out of the everyday mundane chicken for dinner rut, I've got a pork tenderloin recipe for you. It's got sweet nutrient-dense blackstrap molasses, apple cider vinegar, ginger and orange juice.

We all know the importance of recovering and replenishing your muscles after a hard work out to help them rebuild and restore themselves. The time frame in which you eat something is also important. But did you know that gram for gram, pork tenderloin is actually slightly lower in fat than chicken breast? It's also lower in cholesterol. Three ounces of extra lean pork tenderloin has 62mg of cholesterol versus 3 ounces of chicken breast, which has 73mg.

Blackstrap molasses is also extremely good for you. Just check out these stats! To name a few of the minerals it has, it's rich in calcium, iron and manganese. Just 2 tsp of the stuff provides you with 11.8% of your daily calcium intake. Not too shabby. Make sure to get unsulphured molasses because it retains the most vitamins and minerals. It is the purest form that hasn't been treated with sulphites (one of the nine most common food additives that can cause allergic reactions). . .That being said, now you have something other than ginger cookies to use it in!

Molasses Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. lean pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tbsp unsulfured blackstrap molasses
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minces
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400*.
2. Whisk together orange juice, molasses, cider vinegar, ginger, and garlic and then add the apricots.
3. Season tenderloin to your liking with salt and pepper. Add a small glug of olive oil to a frying pan on medium-high heat. Once heated add the pork tenderloin. After searing one side for about 1-2 minutes flip and continue until all sides are seared. Once the meat starts to turn colour, it browns quickly, so pay attention!
4. After browning the meat you now need to cook it through. Place it in a baking dish with the orange juice mixture and roast for 45 minutes in total, turning the tenderloins over 30 minutes through to get the top sides into the juice.
5. Test with a meat thermometer to make sure its done. It should read at least 170*, when its no longer pink.
6. Take the pork out of the baking dish and wrap in foil to let the meat rest for 10 minutes or so before you slice it. This will let the meat reabsorb its juices making it very tender, juicy and flavourful. Serve with sauce.

This is what it should look like after searing:

It's time to replenish!

Okay let's get something straight, I'm a little obsessed with oatmeal... and nut butters. I mean what better way is there to start your day than with a big bowl of oats. Especially when there are so many ways to liven them up. As for nut butter it's got to be one of my favourite ways to get healthy fats. I think I must have something like 6 different kinds of natural peanut and/or almond butter right now. Yep, definitely obsessed.

Now this bowl was one awesome breakfast that was healthy, hearty and anything but boring.

I have tried many different combinations of what I mix in my oats, the actual cooking method, types of oats I use and so on. My current favourite oat combination right now though is simply 1/2 cup of rolled oats with 1/4 tsp cinnamon (loads of health benefits there and its my favourite spice too). That's it! Sometimes I also like to add some Sun Warrior vegan protein mixed in at the end, but if I don't, then I might add a small splash of milk. I always like to combine protein with complex carbohydrates so I stay satiated longer and keep my blood sugar stabilized. No matter what combination I do though it always powers me through my workout and makes me feel great.

Cinnamon Apricot Oats (serves 1)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon (plus more for sprinkling)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp freshly ground flax seed
• 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder
• 3 chopped dried apricots
• 1 heaping tbsp natural smooth peanut butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp raisin almond crunch love grown foods granola

Method:

1. Boil water.
2. Stir in rolled oats and cinnamon + reduce heat to simmer for 5-8 minutes (the longer you cook the  thicker your oats will be).
3. Take it off the heat and let sit covered for a few minutes.
4. Stir in flax seed and protein powder.
5. Top with apricots, peanut butter, granola and more cinnamon.

Commence eating.

Now that's fuel to set fire to your metabolism! Look at that peanut butter blob! I love when it starts to melt all over the piping hot oats and gets all drippy.

Off to rest my sore legs and butt from all those evil dumbbell squats and leg presses.

Gooodnight!