HeaVy on the Veg!

This is one of my husband’s favorite meals. It’s a tradition in my house to make it on New Years and Trick or Treat night. I serve it with mashed potatoes and my homemade applesauce https://heavyontheveg.com/2020/10/26/crockpot-apple-sauce/

I don’t love a lot of leftovers so I opted for a smaller loin and less cooking time. By all mean use a full size loin and cook for 6-8 hours.

Ingredients

1 large tenderloin- do not use the skinny ones they do not hold up in the crockpot

1/2 jar of kraut or one small bag

5 apple slices

1/4 cup brown sugar

Salt and lots of pepper

Place pork in a crockpot on high and add all ingredients. After 30 minutes turn to low and cook for 4 hours. Pork is done when it shreds with a fork. Option- for the last hour add a few hot dogs.

I love chili. We go to a chili cook off every fall and I was super bummed since it did not happen this year so I made my own. This is a prize worthy recipe.

I don’t like a ton of beans in my chili and I prefer it on the thick side. Of course I like to add peppers to mine to kick up the veg factor. I also do not make mine that spicy as I get my heat factor from fresh sliced jalapeños as a topping.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion -diced
• 1/2 of a green pepper- diced
• 1/2 of a red pepper- diced
• 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt plus more if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper* -optional
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 (15 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

• Add the olive oil to a large dutch oven and place it over medium-high heat for two minutes. Add the onion and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the ground beef to the pot. Break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the beef is browned, stirring occasionally.
• Add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, peppers, and optional cayenne. Stir until well combined.
• Add the broth, diced tomatoes (with their juice), drained beans, and tomato sauce. Stir well.
• Bring the liquid to a low boil. Then, reduce the heat (low to medium-low) to gently simmer the chili, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the pot from the heat. Let the chili rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with shredded cheese, scallions, and fresh jalapeños slices.

The perfect Halloween Treat. They are flourless and can be made GF by using GF oats. It’s a dump and stir baking recipe and they bake in less 10 minutes. So easy kids can do most of the steps.

Makes 12 large cookies.

2 eggs

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup of white sugar

2 tablespoons of melted butter

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups of non instant oats

1/4-1/2 cup of M&Ms

1/4-1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Break eggs in a medium bowl and whisk. Add peanut butter, sugars, butter,vanilla, salt and baking soda and stir with a spatula. Stir in oats then fold in chocolates.

Use an ice cream scooper and make balls on a baking sheet and space 2 inches apart. Press down on each ball slightly. Bake 8-10 minutes. Do not over bake. 8 minutes is gooey and 10 is not. I do a baking sheet of each as the house is split with their preference.

Let sit on baking sheet for three minutes then move to a cooling rack.

Apples are in season and baking apples are a great price. This makes for the perfect time to make your own apple sauce.

8-10 baking apples- cored, peeled, and sliced

Juice of a lemon or orange

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

1 tablespoon of sugar

Place apples in a crockpot. Juice lemon over them and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Stir to coat.

Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Turn off crockpot and let cool. Remove half to a container or jar. This will be your chunky batch. Purée the remaining with an immersion blender and add to another container so now you have a smooth batch.

How I use mine.

*In my baked oatmeal recipe that I’ll share later this week.

*As a side with pork and sauerkraut, that we eat every trick or treat night.

*As a snack with vanilla yogurt and granola.

Burgers are a go to meal at the Mariani house. Since we eat them often I try to go bunless. I also use freshly ground 85/15 ground beef. I use 90/10 for everything else but you need that extra fat on the grill.

This is one of my favorite ways to eat a burger. I also love one with blue cheese, grilled onions and bbq sauce and as a hamburger salad, which I’ll share at some point.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs of 85/15 ground beef- I get mine from Karn’s

Worcestershire Sauce

S&P

1 small sweet onion- sliced

Boursin Cheese or another Garlic& Herb Cheese Spread- I use Aldi’s

Butter lettuce

Sliced tomato

Balsamic Glaze from Aldi

Makes 5 burgers

Add 4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce and S&P to beef. Mix with hands then form patties. Make an indent in the center of each patty.

Sauté onions on a very low heat while grilling burgers. Place cheese on top of cooked burger then top with onions. Place on a bed of butter lettuce and sliced tomatoes. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Oven baked fries.

Preheat oven to 450

2 Russet Potatoes cut into 1/4 inch sticks and pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Place a large bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and S&P. Toss.

Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Do not overcrowd the sheet.

Cook for 15 minutes then flip and cook 10 more minutes.