Spicy Pork-and-Orange Chopped Salad

Hi :-) OK well first things first: My birthday cake was delicious, just in case you missed that on Facebook. Please see the posted pictures for the cake in all it's chocolaty glory. I won't be sharing the recipe though, sorry! I did not use Naynie or Mom's frosting because I didn't have a double boiler, but my mom found me a fantastic Italian Chocolate Creme frosting that was delicious! So perhaps we just all make it with our own frosting? It was divine!

The end of March was not conducive to a lot of new recipes, and we mostly ate pizza. But last week as we got back on the healthy food bandwagon, we tried this new one from Southern Living, and I highly recommend it! Quick and healthy for a weeknight dinner. It is a bit spicy--which we loved--but if it's not your thing I can tell you how to reduce the spice.

Spicy Pork-and-Orange Chopped Salad

1lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2in pieces
2tsp to a whole packet of Szechwan seasoning blend (less for less spice, more for more spice!)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 navel oranges
1/2 c bottled low-fat Sesame Ginger dressing (eyeball it)
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/4 c fresh cilantro
1 romaine lettuce heart (we actually used a half-head of green leaf lettuce)
3 cups shredded coleslaw mix (about half a bag)
1/2 cup wasabi-and-soy flavored almonds (I couldn't find them and used plain--they worked)

After cutting the pork into pieces, place all pieces in a plastic bag with the Szechwan seasoning--shake to coat. Then saute pork in hot olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat, about 8-10 minutes or until done. I always cut the thickest piece in half to determine if it's fully cooked. Peel the oranges and cut them into 1/2 inch slices. Pour dressing into the bottom of the salad bowl, then stir in oranges, cilantro, and cucumber and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Add lettuce, coleslaw mix, and finally the pork. Toss very gently and garnish with the almonds. Garnish with more oranges or cilantro as needed.

This really is a great new recipe for spring. We always struggle with dinner salads because so many end up covered in cheese or chips or Caesar dressing and negate the health-factor of having a dinner salad to begin with. But this one is light, fresh, and still filling. A big thumbs up from us and definitely work a try! Happy Easter to everyone and let's all look forward to some warmer weather and spring/summer menus :-)