Where OH Where Has My Springtime Gone?

We woke up to a cold and gray day this morning.  I tried to stay in bed and avoid opening the blinds for as long as I could.  The strong winds blew in the cold front yesterday and it's here to stay for a while.  BOO HOO!  This cold gray day however didn't hinder me from continuing on with my spring menu that I had planned for the week.  Screw you Old Man Winter and your stubborn ways!

I smoked the house up again with the first recipe.  I also got blueberry bbq sauce all over the kitchen.  I am convinced that I am self sabotaging my spring cleaning that I did all day last Sunday.  Was it worth it?  It certainly was!

Grilled Pork Chops with Blueberry BBQ Sauce
Yield: 4 servings

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Ingredients for Blueberry BBQ Sauce:

• 1/2 minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Ingredients for Pork Chops:

• 4 boneless pork chops

Instructions:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grill grate with oil.
2. Saute shallots and jalapeno in oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat until soft, about 2 minutes. Add blueberries, vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon, garlic powder, and salt and simmer until sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes.
3. Transfer mixture to a blender (make sure you are really holding the lid down. Since it's hot, the lid will want to come off. Trust me!) or food processor; pulse until pureed. Return sauce to pan over medium-heat. Stir in lemon juice; simmer sauce 2 minutes more. Remove sauce from heat; set aside.
4. Grill pork, covered, until an instant-ready thermometer registers 155, about 6 minutes per side. Remove pork from grill and tent with foil; let rest 5 minutes. Serve pork with sauce on the side. If desired, brush some of the sauce over pork during final few minutes of grilling.

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Servings:  4

Calories:  352

Total Fat:  15 g

Cholesterol:  51 mg.

Sodium:  331 mg.

Protein:  21g.

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Coconut Corn Muffins

Coconut Corn Muffins

Yield: 8 muffins

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Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup lite-coconut milk
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375; coat a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray.
2. Combine cornmeal, four, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
3. Whisk coconut milk, egg white, and oil together in a small bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry and add coconut and mix until just incorporated.
4. Scoop batter into 8 mini muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 minutes.

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Servings: 8

Calories: 66

Total Fat:  4 g

Cholesterol:  0 mg.

Sodium:  131 mg.

Protein:  1g.

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Source: Cuisine Lite

~ Enjoy!