quick dinner

Autumnal Cooking

Well, we are thrilled in store with the reaction to our reusable containers initiative. Lots of you brought in your own containers. This is great - but I feel it’s necessary to not be too holier than thou with this. Let me explain.... I try to reduce the use of plastic here at home - my son was on the green school committee last year and absolutely shamed us into noticing our dependence on single use plastic - a lot when you look at it. So we quit the cling film and they now have a little boxes with their lunch stuff in it. They refuse straws and bring their water in refill bottles. But plastic is still in our home.... we are just trying to be more conscious of our over dependence and the general wastefulness of it all. The environmental impact of it all is also a concern.

I'm a proud Laois woman. The only inland county surrounded by inland counties (remember that for the table quiz?) As a child, a trip to the seaside was a real treat. I always loved being by the sea, even though, as an in lander I'm a rubbish swimmer. So I really appreciate the sea on our doorstep and walk the back strand with the dogs as much as possible. It's most definitely my happy place. It's where I go to destress, to escape, to cry, to think. It's where I go to take a big deep breath and recalibrate. When we've been in the house and everyone is killing each other, I pile us all into the car - sometimes very reluctantly, but never ever regrettably, out to the back strand with the dogs. I think it is simply, a really, really special place. So then, when I see rubbish left behind on the beach I am actually in shock. Why? I do think though its mindlessness and if we stopped and thought for one minute we would become more conscious about how our actions impact the world around us. This house is trying - Change is slow but I love that the children are conscious and maybe if we only achieve a better level of consciousness for our children we'll have done something good.

5% off all shopping purchased in reusable containers – WE ARE GIVING YOU BACK THE PRICE OF THE PACKAGING!!

Baked Pork Chops with apples Onions and thyme.
INGREDIENTS
• 6 small boneless pork chops
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 medium Gala or Honey Crisp apples, cored and sliced
• 2 small red onions, sliced.
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 tablespoon honey

PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 200°c.
2. Mix together salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and rub on pork chops. Heat olive oil in large skillet at medium-high. Brown pork chops in skillet for 2 minutes on each side.
3. Place pork chops in baking dish along with apples, onions and thyme.
4. Add apple cider and honey to skillet, and bring to a simmer at medium heat. Reduce by half, stirring often and scraping up browned bits to combine with sauce.
5. Pour apple cider sauce over pork, apples, and onions. Add thyme sprigs. Cover.
6. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until apples and onions are tender and meat is cooked through. Serve garnished with sprigs of thyme and rosemary

Let’s Nutrify! - Jemma Kehoe’s tip.
- This recipe is amazingly simple and delicious! Thyme is a wonderful herb to include here in preparation for the cold and flu season that may lie ahead. It has antibacterial action and works very well against coughs as well as certain skin conditions such as acne. The onions and apples are also a source of a super antioxidant called quercetin to support the immune system and gentle, soluble fibre to aid the digestion of the meat. The pork meat is a super source of brain enhancing nutrients including iron and B vitamins so perfect for a mid-week back to school dinner.

Shane Dineen Fitness

“This meal is a perfect low intensity/ steady state cardio pre workout fuel, As this food is rich in fats it is sure to keep your energy levels high throughout a workout and also avoid that sugar high and crash leaving you fatigued before your workout is complete.
Very good and simple but most important healthy and very effective for the type of workout mentioned above”

Butchers wife tip.
Do not over bake or the meat becomes tough. I did use fresh herbs this time but remember my tip on dried herbs – reduce quantity to a third. This is seriously tasty. Very autumnal. Ideal for the time of year. I served it with mash potatoes and carrots.

Enjoy this one, its a goody!!

The Butchers Wife xx

by Aileen Graham