Category Archives: Pork

pork with apricot-cherry mostarda / roasted brussels, parsnip, & red onion

Contents of your meal kit:

pork loin
parsnip (looks like a white carrot)
brussels sprouts
red onion
dried cherries & apricots
mostarda base
italian seasoning blend

Cookware needed: baking sheet, small saucepan, nonstick skillet

Finishing steps:

Preheat oven to 425. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the outside layer of the parsnip. Cut the parsnip in half lengthwise, and then crosswise into 1/3-inch slices. Trim ends of brussels sprouts and cut in half. On a baking sheet, toss parsnip, brussels sprouts, and onion with olive oil, salt & pepper. Once oven has heated, roast for 10 minutes, then toss, and roast another 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop the cherries and apricots and put in a small saucepan with the mostarda base. Add enough water to just cover the fruit and bring to a boil, uncovered, over high heat. When boiling, reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer until the liquid reaches a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat, cover to keep warm.
After tossing the vegetables, heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Season both sides of pork with italian seasoning blend, salt & pepper. When skillet is hot, add pork and cook 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest until the vegetables are finished.
Slice the pork. Divide it between plates and top with the mostarda. Serve roasted vegetables on the side.

Notes: Mostarda is a classic Northern Italian condiment made of dried or candied fruit and mustard, and is traditionally served with boiled meats.

pork bibimbap

Contents of your meal kit:

ground pork
jasmine rice
mushrooms
scallions
bok choy
bibimbap sauce
pickled carrots

Cookware needed: saucepan with lid, medium or large nonstick skillet

Finishing steps:

Place rice in a saucepan and add enough water to come 1/4 to 1/3-inch above the rice. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to the lowest setting. Simmer 10-15 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed. When done remove from heat, keep covered, and let sit at least 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Continue with other steps while rice is cooking.
Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel and thinly slice. Trim scallions and thinly slice on a diagonal. Cut the bok choy in half lengthwise, rinse thoroughly, lay cut side down on a paper towel to dry. Slice crosswise into 1-inch pieces, keeping the white parts and green parts separate.
Heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add pork and break up with a spatula or wooden spoon. Cook about 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through. Add HALF the bibimbap sauce, stirring to combine and warm. Transfer to a small bowl and cover to keep warm.
Add a small amount of additional oil to the hot skillet. Add mushrooms, season with salt & pepper and sauté 2-3 minutes, or until browned and softened. Remove from skillet, and keep warm.
If necessary, add additional oil to the same skillet. Add the white parts of the bok choy, and sauté about 2 minutes. Then add the greens and the other HALF of the bibimbap sauce. Allow to cook another minute, or until greens are just wilted.
Divide rice between bowls and top with pork, mushrooms, bok choy, and pickled carrots. Garnish with scallions.

Notes: This dish is often served with a fried egg on top, so feel free to add that if you have one lying around!

sausage, mushroom & leek pasta / pumpkin-cashew cream sauce / roasted broccoli

Contents of your meal kit:

Zeigler’s pork sausage
broccoli
mushrooms
sage
baia spelt pasta (or GF alternative)
leeks
pumpkin-cashew cream sauce
butter
pecorino cheese

Equipment needed: foil-lined baking sheet, nonstick skillet, large saucepan or stockpot with lid (see note)

Finishing steps:

Fill large saucepan or stockpot with water, cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
Preheat oven to 450. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss broccoli with olive oil, salt & pepper. Nestle the sausage onto the baking sheet. When oven is hot, roast for 10 minutes, toss, and continue cooking for an additional 5-10 minutes or until sausage is cooked through. Continue with the next steps.
Using a damp paper towel, wipe mushrooms clean, then slice. Pull sage leaves from the stems and coarsely chop.
When water is boiling, cook pasta 10-12 minutes or until al dente.
While pasta cooks, heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add leeks, and sauté until they start to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms, season with salt & pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes until mushrooms are golden. Remove from heat until pasta is done.
When pasta is done, reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water, and then drain.
Return skillet to low heat. Add pumpkin cashew cream sauce, sage, and a little bit of pasta water at a time, until the sauce is a creamy consistency. Add pasta to the skillet and gently stir to coat with sauce. Adding more pasta water as needed. Stir in the butter to finish.
Divide pasta between plates, top with pecorino cheese, and enjoy sausage & broccoli on the side!

Notes: If making 4 or 6 portions use a large stockpot for cooking the pasta.

chai-spiced pork / sweet potato mash / citrus salad

Contents of your meal kit:

pork loin
sweet potato
chai tea
clementine
citrus vinaigrette base
spiced coconut milk
garden mix

Equipment needed: saucepan with lid, salad bowl, nonstick skillet

Finishing steps:

Cut sweet potato into bite-sized chunks, place in a saucepan and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cook for 8-10 minutes, or until fork tender, reducing heat as necessary.
Meanwhile, cut open the tea bag and sprinkle tea, salt & pepper on both sides of pork. Peel the clementine and divide into segments for the salad. Pour vinaigrette base into the bottom of your salad bowl and add an equal amount of olive oil. Whisk or mix with a fork to combine. Set everything aside.
When potatoes are tender, drain off water, and mash with a potato masher or a fork in the pan. Season with salt & pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
Heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. When skillet is hot, add pork and cook 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest. Add spiced coconut milk and an equal amount of water to the same pan. Bring to a boil and reduce sauce slightly before removing from heat.
To finish your salad, toss your greens and clementine segments gently with the dressing and season with salt & pepper.
Slice pork and divide between plates along with sweet potato mash. Top with coconut pan sauce. Enjoy salad on the side.

Notes: Who would have thought that tea straight from the bag would be so delicious on meat!?

mini pork meatloaf with tomato jam / smashed potatoes / snap peas & carrots

Contents of your meal kit:

ground pork
yukon gold potatoes
meatloaf seasoning
heirloom carrots
sugar snap peas
tomato jam
butter

Equipment needed: baking sheet, medium saucepan with lid, mixing bowl, medium or large nonstick skillet with lid

Finishing steps:

Preheat oven to 425, and line a baking sheet with foil.
Cut potatoes into bite-sized chunks and place in a saucepan. Cover with water and lid, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cook for 7-10 minutes, or until fork tender, reducing heat as necessary. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Add butter directly to warm pot with potatoes and smash together to desired texture. Season with salt & pepper, add an extra drizzle of olive oil if desired, and keep warm.
While potatoes are cooking, combine pork, meatloaf seasoning, and a generous amount of salt & pepper in a mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix well to combine.
Divide meatloaf mixture equally and shape into small loaves on baking sheet. Place in preheated oven and set a timer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice carrots lengthwise (see note). Trim the stem ends from snap peas, and remove string that runs along the side if desired.
When 15 minute timer is up on meatloaf, top with tomato jam and return to oven until the rest of meal is done and meatloaf is cooked through.
While meatloaf finishes cooking, place carrots in a skillet with just enough water to cover the bottom. Place lid on skillet, turn heat to high, and steam 2 minutes. Add snap peas to skillet, return lid, and cook another 2-3 minutes. Uncover, add a drizzle of olive oil, and sauté until water evaporates. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Serve individual meatloaves alongside smashed potatoes and peas and carrots.

Note: You could peel carrots for a nicer presentation; however, the skin does pack some extra nutrients…your choice.

turkey & eggplant caponata flatbreads / roasted green bean & beet salad

Contents of your meal kit:

ground turkey
green beans
almonds
eggplant
bell peppers & onion mix
caponata base
lemony pickled beets
flatbread
goat cheese

Equipment needed: foil-lined baking sheet, large nonstick skillet with lid, mixing bowl

Finishing steps:

Preheat oven to 450. Trim the stem end of green beans, then on a foil-lined baking sheet, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper. Once oven has heated, roast for 10 minutes, then toss, sprinkle with almonds, and roast another 5 minutes or until green beans are lightly charred and tender.
Meanwhile, trim stem from eggplant, and cut into ¼-inch dice.
Heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add ground turkey, and bell pepper & onion mix. Season with salt & pepper, cook 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender and turkey is no longer pink.
Reduce heat to medium. Add eggplant & caponata base. Cover and cook 5 minutes, then uncover and simmer about 3 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
When green beans and almonds are done, toss in a mixing bowl with lemony pickled beets and their liquid. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Using the same baking sheet, remove foil and place flatbreads in a single layer (use a second baking sheet if needed), poke holes into flatbread using a fork. Bake for 3-5 minutes until golden and toasted on the bottom. Flip the flatbread, top with turkey & eggplant caponata, sprinkle with goat cheese and return to oven for another 3-5 minutes.
Cut flatbreads in half or into quarters and serve with roasted green beans.

seared pork with apricot sauce / smashed curried squash / simple salad

Contents of your meal kit:

pork loin
butternut squash
spiced coconut milk
apricot sauce
red wine vinaigrette base
baby romaine

Equipment needed: saucepan with lid, nonstick skillet, salad bowl

Finishing steps:

Place squash in a saucepan along with enough water to come ¾ of the way up the squash. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cook for 8-10 minutes, or until fork tender, reducing heat as necessary. When done, drain off water, and mash with a potato masher or a fork in the pan. Add spiced coconut milk to taste (see note) and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.
Heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Season both sides of pork with salt & pepper. When skillet is hot, add pork and cook 1-3 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest.
In the same skillet as the pork, turn heat to low, pour in the apricot sauce, and 1-2 tablespoons of water. Warm briefly, about 30-60 seconds, then remove from heat.
Pour vinaigrette base into the bottom of your salad bowl and add an equal amount of olive oil. Whisk or mix with a fork to combine. If this looks like too much dressing, remove some before adding the greens. Toss gently and season with salt & pepper to taste.
Divide squash mash between plates, slice pork and top with apricot sauce. Enjoy with salad on the side.

Notes: The spiced coconut milk has some serious kick. We loved this recipe with all of it, but add according to your own spice tolerance.

sausage / cremini & kale quinoa skillet

Contents of your meal kit:

Zeigler’s sausage
quinoa
cremini mushrooms
thyme
zucchini
onion
kale
tomatoes
garlic cashew “cream”
gruyere

Equipment needed: small saucepan with lid, oven-safe nonstick skillet with lid (see note)

Finishing steps:

Place quinoa in a saucepan, and add enough water to come ¼-inch above the quinoa. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to the lowest setting. Simmer 10-15 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. When done remove from heat, keep covered, and let sit at least 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Meanwhile, pour 1/3 cup of water into skillet along with the sausage, bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low and steam 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
While sausage is cooking, wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel and slice into ¼-inch thick slices. Pull thyme leaves off the stem. Dice zucchini. Set everything aside. Preheat your oven’s broiler.
Using the same skillet, wipe clean and heat a small amount of oil over med-high heat. Add onion, zucchini, mushroom, thyme, salt & pepper and cook until vegetables are softened and golden at edges, about 2-3 minutes. Add the kale and cook a minute or so until it just begins to wilt.
Add the tomatoes and allow to cook another few minutes until heated through. Add cashew “cream” to the skillet and stir to warm thoroughly and combine it with the vegetables. Stir in cooked quinoa and season with salt & pepper to taste. Spread mixture evenly across the skillet and top with cheese.
Place skillet under broiler, along with sausages (on a small piece of foil, or baking sheet). Broil until cheese is bubbly and melted, and sausges are browned on exterior.

Notes: Use a medium skillet for 2 portions, large skillet for 4-6. Most skillets are oven safe for a brief amount of time. If yours has a plastic or rubber handle, wrap foil around it to protect.

maple-glazed pork / roasted parsnips & carrots / baby greens & cider vinaigrette

Contents of your meal kit:

pork loin
parsnip & carrot mix
thyme
maple glaze base
cider vinaigrette base
baby greens
golden raisins

Equipment needed: baking sheet, small bowl, nonstick skillet, salad bowl

Finishing steps:

Preheat oven to 450. On a baking sheet, toss parsnips & carrots with olive oil, whole thyme springs, salt & pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, then toss and roast another 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, season both sides of pork with salt & pepper. In a small bowl, combine maple glaze base with an equal amount of water (you could use chicken/veggie broth, or even beer if you happen to have some on hand).
When about 5 minutes remain on the timer for parsnips & carrots, get ready to cook your pork. Heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. When skillet is hot, cook pork 2-3 minutes per side.
After browning the pork, reduce heat to low, and add maple glaze to skillet. Allow glaze to simmer and reduce for a minute or so, turning pork to coat with glaze.
Pour vinaigrette base into the bottom of your salad bowl and add an equal amount olive oil. Whisk or mix with a fork to combine. If this looks like too much dressing, remove some before adding the greens and the golden raisins. Toss gently and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the pork alongside the roasted veggies and salad. Enjoy!!

chicken & sausage bake / roasted autumn vegetables

Contents of your meal kit:

chicken
Zeigler’s pork sausage
herb bundle (thyme & sage)
butternut squash
autumn vegetable mix
granny smith apple
walnuts
balsamic vinegar

Equipment needed: baking sheet, mixing bowl

Finishing steps:

Place a baking sheet in a cold oven, then preheat oven to 450.
Coarsely chop sage leaves. Remove thyme leaves from their stems by holding the sprig upright with one hand, and using other hand to pull down against the direction the leaves are growing. Leaves will pull off as you slide your fingers down.
In a mixing bowl, toss butternut squash and vegetable mix with herbs, salt & pepper, and a good amount of olive oil. Rub chicken with a little olive oil, and season with salt & pepper.
Carefully spread vegetables on the hot baking sheet in an even layer, and nestle sausage and chicken amongst them. Roast for 20 minutes. (Use 2 baking sheets if necessary to keep everything in 1 layer.)
Meanwhile, core the apple, and cut into 1” chunks.
Once the vegetables have roasted for 20 minutes, add the apple and walnuts and roast an additional 10 minutes, or until meat and vegetables are done to your liking.
Divide the vegetables between plates and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Slice the sausage and chicken and serve on top of the vegetables.

Notes: Zeigler’s sausages are handmade locally. We love supporting local business, and Zeigler’s produces a wonderful product using fresh ingredients and REAL MEAT…no scraps or “unidentified objects.” If you have requested no red meat, we’ve sent chicken sausage as a substitute.