Comfort Foods and Indulgences

The year was 1996. I had just moved to San Francisco from Chicago, finally ridding myself of those long midwest winters and trading them in for even colder summers in the Bay Area. All joking aside, it was an eye-opening experience for me and one that I embraced fully. I absorbed the California experience on every level and tasted my way through the City, spending Saturday mornings at the old farmers’ market before it moved to the Ferry Building and familiarizing myself with local foods and personalities.

I grew to love Peet’s coffee (trust me, it took some doing), developed a huge crush on Albert Strauss, became obsessed with Tu Lan and all its horrors and discovered what eating fresh and local was all about.  Somewhere in there I discovered meyer lemons and instantly became obsessed with them. I started buying them whenever I could find them, matching them up with just about anything I could and realizing that while I may suffer from high cholesterol I will never ever develop a case of scurvy. Hallelujah!

A healthy breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Plus it's an easy way to get a healthy dose of calcium for your bones.

Not a breakfast eater? Could you try eating breakfast for 3 weeks? Because that's how long it takes your brain to develop a habit, and this is one healthy habit.

Eating a healthy breakfast can help you:

Jump start your metabolism, so you burn more calories all day long.

Consume fewer calories throughout the day since you tend to be less hungry and make smarter eating choices.

Stabilize your blood sugar, which has been linked to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Concentrate and perform better at work (hey, maybe that whole wheat toast and scrambled eggs could help get you a raise).

Build endurance with physical activity, so your work-outs will be better.

Quick and easy is what this stew is all about. It does not require a four-hour simmer, so it’s perfect for a last minute craving. With preparation time, it took me about 50 minutes to get this on the table. The best part is that it is absolutely delicious.

Using pork tenderloin is ideal for this meal since it’s already tender and doesn’t require hours of braising time to make it that way. Since the base of the stew uses apple cider, there is a slight sweetness to it. When served over the apple-potato mash, it becomes this over-the-top meal.

Don’t leave out the Granny Smith garnish as it really adds a nice touch to the dish.

With rain today in the Pacific Northwest, this meal is the perfect accompaniment to cold weather.

I know what you're thinking.  Weeknight dinner and  the culinary term reduction are two words that do not go together.  But I double-dare swear that they do.  This recipe is so perfect for any night that is filled with reckless activities caused by our busy and crazy lives.  This recipe will take you back to the simple life you crave.

You cannot get this from a box, you cannot get this from an ox.  You cannot find this here or there, but you can make this in your underwear...or something like that.

I mean are you tired of your pathetic nightly dinners?  Does your family dread the dreaded chicken recipe again?  Have you been wanting your inner-chef-dom-tendencies to shine through without much effort?  This is your lucky day.

This simplistic, tasty, somewhat-savory, somewhat-sweet dinner is for you.  It is by far the most effortless (well, I guess McDonald's would be more effortless) weeknight meal you could possibly throw together.  And it's so good, you could even serve it for Sunday night dinner.  After making this, no one will believe you've running around like a maniac all day.