This month's motto: Moderation

Time to dismantle the tree and restore some healthy habits!

It's that time of year again. The time when the weight (literal and figurative) of the holidays is upon me. I've just spent the last several weeks eating Christmas cookies, snacking on Chex Mix, splurging on plates of various indulgences, and now, my body is trying to tell me something. "Cut it out." Okay body, my bad, but you know how the holidays are! As an apology to my body and for my overall well being, I enter a two week 'cleanse' just after New Year's. This is a gentle cleanse, I'm not a believer in total deprivation, I am a believer in balance and after weeks of excess this cleanse is a reminder to bring good eating and drinking habits back into my life. I'm still going to drink wine #sorrynotsorry, and I'm still going to eat delicious things, but I'm going to highlight lean proteins, cut out most carbs, load up on veggies, and shy away from dairy. I'm going to fill in some of my meals with fresh juices and I'm going to limit my booze intake. Moderation is the motto.

I have a few go-to recipes that fall into the healthy category but are also quite tasty, tasty enough that if my husband wasn't told they were healthy, he'd never know and wouldn't complain so much. I do a turkey chili (hooray spices) and use the leftovers to make a taco salad (minimal corn chips). I make a tuna and white bean salad with a pickled egg on top and a shower of fresh herbs (lots of flavor, and healthy!) and I like to grill up squid and have it with rice and quick pickles. Two new recipes I'm ushering into the cleanse this year are featured below. Both are just loaded with flavor but are lean and good for you. Give them a try and proceed into the new year with some new good for you recipes under your belt.

Anchovy Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Serves 2

*I like to serve this with some roasted potatoes and something green - a salad, green beans, or broccoli.

Ingredients

2-4 anchovies packed in oil

1 clove of garlic

1 Tablespoon tarragon dijon mustard (or substitute plain dijon)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 pork tenderloin (about 3 lbs)

Prep

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine anchovies, garlic, and mustard with a pinch of salt and pepper, and grind into a paste using a mortar and pestle or small food processor.
3. Using a pastry brush, brush all sides of tenderloin with paste.
4. Heat a large cast iron skillet to medium heat. Add olive oil and let heat up in pan.
5. Add pork to skillet and sear on all sides until browned, approximately 2 minutes per side. Transfer to warm oven and cook until thermometer reads 145 degrees, about 10 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and place pork on a cutting board and tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Wine Pairing Suggestions: If you are in the mood for white wine, I like a medium-bodied, dry white like a Chardonnay from Burgundy, a dry Riesling from Alsace, or a Falanghina from Italy. For red, a medium-bodied Merlot from France or Tuscan Sangiovese are my picks.

Farro with Hazelnuts and Wild Mushrooms

Serves 4

*This nutty, hearty dish is excellent with a side salad for a Vegetarian main or alongside roast chicken or salmon for a side dish.

Ingredients

1 cup Whole Farro (such as Rustichella d’Abruzzo)
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons (or more) lemon olive oil (such as Agrumato Lemon)
2 cups (about 8 oz.) assorted fresh mushrooms (such as chanterelle, porcini, shiitake, and crimini), cut into 1” pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus a few whole parsley leaves for garnish
¼ cup toasted hazelnuts

Shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish (about ¼ cup)

Prep

1. Cook farro in boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, and set aside.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers (the oil needs to be very hot to crisp the mushrooms). Working in batches, and adding more oil if needed, place a single layer of mushrooms in skillet. Cook, turning once, until crisp and cooked through, 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a plate; season with salt and pepper.
3. Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add farro and cook, stirring often, until heated through. Season farro with salt and pepper. Add butter and stir vigorously to combine and create a creamy texture. Add parsley and plate topping with sauteed mushrooms, toasted hazelnuts, shaved parmesan, some fresh parsley leaves and a drizzle of lemon oil. Serve immediately.

Wine Pairing Suggestion: For white wine, again Chardonnay will do solid work here as would a Loire Valley Chenin Blanc. For red, I like a peppery, high-toned Syrah from the Northern Rhone.