Hi! I’m Chef Verónica Mauri, the “Healthy Eating Chef” and since 2010, your neighbor in Miami Lakes.
For a feast on Noche Buena (Christmas Eve); Christmas, New Year’s Eve or during Kwanzaa, a pork tenderloin is easy to make and is good to present to the fewer guests we are all having during the pandemic.
I serve it with Rainbow Roasted Vegetables and a Cranberry Walnut Quinoa Stuffing, two dishes which will also accommodate guests who don’t eat meat.
I encourage my clients to eat a balanced diet and include as many colors as possible to get the most benefits. Food should make us happy, look and taste great and be eaten in moderation. I hope you enjoy the love of friends and family during your holiday meal.
Photos courtesy of Chef Veronica Mauri. For more about Chef Veronica, follow her on Instagram.
Holiday Pork Tenderloin Serves 8
5 peeled garlic cloves
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon pink Himalayan salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
3 tablespoons rosemary leaves, plus 6 sprigs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pork tenderloins (total weight about 3 pounds)
12 ounces thin-sliced bacon (about 12 slices)
Rainbow Roasted Vegetables Serves 8
1 yellow squash
1 cup broccoli
1 cup Brussel sprouts
1 red bell pepper
1 medium sweet potato
1 medium white onion
1 medium beet
1 carrot
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cranberry Walnut Quinoa Stuffing Serves 8
This dish is super easy to make, is gluten-free and vegan.
1 cup Quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 sweet onion chopped
1/2 red pepper chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
8 ounces white mushrooms chopped
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons ground sage
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
To make the Holiday Pork Tenderloin and Rainbow Roasted Vegetables
1. Finely chop garlic and rosemary leaves and transfer to a small bowl; stir in pepper,
allspice, salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil to make a paste.
2. Rub the paste all over the pork. While it marinates for 45 minutes, chop the vegetables
into medium size chunks.
3. Divide veggies by colors and arrange on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Use a
separate small tray to roast the beet since it will bleed.
Drizzle olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper over the vegetables and toss them
to coat. Remember to keep the colors separate.
4. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
5. Wrap each tenderloin in 6 slices of bacon, working in a spiral from top to bottom, letting
each layer overlap slightly.
6. Arrange 6 rosemary sprigs on a rimmed baking sheet, lay the tenderloins on top and brush
them with olive oil.
7. Roast the pork and vegetables in the oven. After 20 minutes, remove the veggies and toss
with a spatula to make sure they cook evenly. Reduce the oven temperature to 425°F and
cook the veggies for another 15 – 20 minutes. They will look slightly charred but will
have a delicious, caramelized flavor.
8. Cook the pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 145°F
for medium-rare (about 25 minutes) or 160°F for medium (30 - 35 minutes).
Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let it rest 10 minutes before slicing. Plate with
the roasted veggies on the side.
To make the Cranberry Walnut Quinoa Stuffing
1. Heat up a medium saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, sauté 1 minced garlic clove
over medium heat for about a minute or so, until it gets fragrant.
2. Add the quinoa and stir for a minute.
3. Add vegetable broth, bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low, cooking for 15 -
20 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.
4. As the quinoa cooks, in a large sauté pan over medium heat add 1 tablespoon grapeseed
oil, onion, red pepper and garlic. Sauté 5 - 8 minutes until ingredients are softened.
5. Add mushrooms, sage, thyme, salt and pepper and cook 5 more minutes until the
mushrooms are softened. Remove from heat.
6. Combine with the quinoa, add walnuts and cranberries and toss together.
You can serve this dish warm or cold.