The holidays are about traditions, especially with food. There’s nothing quite like passing down recipes and looking forward to your favorite prime rib or creamed corn. But this past Thanksgiving, I was given the task of coming up with a few new sides to keep it fresh.. and let me tell you, they were so good that I was asked to make them again for Christmas! So, I decided to round them up and share with you, and additionally I added a protein recipe that I found and love so that you can make a well-rounded meal.

I am not world’s best cook (unlike my husband, who for some reason cooking comes very naturally) so when I look for recipes, I try to choose ones that are easy and don’t take too long, but are still flavorful. The below recipes are all of the above. For me it’s all about simple ingredients where you can actually taste the food, not smothered in some sort of sauce or something. Therefore, it is important to buy quality ingredients for these recipes.

I also tried something new with the pork recipe in that I used Heartland Home Foods, which delivers organic meats and foods right to your house. Plus, it’s all local, based out of Baltimore. The quality of the pork tenderloin was insanely good. I defrosted in the fridge overnight, but that meant the day of cooking I did not want to spend more time marinating, so I found this amazing recipe below that requires no prep time! It turned out so juicy and cooked perfectly according to the recipe.

Natasha’s Kitchen Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Ingredients:

1 tsp sea salt or to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp olive oil (extra light) or vegetable oil, or avocado oil*
1 1/2 lb Pork Tenderloin

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400˚F with the rack in the middle.
Trim tenderloin of fat and any silver skin and pat dry with a paper towel. Pierce pork loin all over with a fork and rub with 1 Tbsp oil.
Combine your seasonings and sprinkle onto the tenderloin then use your hands to rub the spices into the tenderloin until evenly coated.
Heat 1 Tbsp oil over med-high heat in a large oven-safe pan (cast iron or a dutch oven will work). Once oil is hot, add pork and brown on all sides (6 minutes total).
Place in the oven and bake uncovered at 400˚F for 13-15 min, flipping the tenderloin over halfway through baking. Bake until center of pork registers at least 150˚F then transfer to a cutting board and let meat rest 5-10 min. Slice into rings and serve.

Next up is this easy but super flavorful and dare I say savory salad. I improvised a little by replacing some items with what I had in “stock” in the pantry.. for example I used almonds instead of walnuts and a little extra honey and brown sugar instead of pomegranate molasses… but it did not disappoint.

Bobby Flay’s Heartland Chopped Salad

Ingredients:

1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 bunch dinosaur kale (lacinato kale), ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped
4 ounces baby spinach, chopped
1 ripe Asian pear, cored, halved and chopped
1 1/2 cups Overcooked Wild Rice, recipe follows
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
Pomegranate Molasses Dressing, recipe follows

Overcooked Wild Rice:

1 1/2 cups wild rice
Kosher salt

Pomegranate Molasses Dressing:

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon clover honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan, add the dried cranberries and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain off excess water.
Combine the kale, spinach, pear, Overcooked Wild Rice, walnuts and rehydrated cranberries in large bowl. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the Pomegranate Molasses Dressing over and gently toss until evenly coated. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with more dressing when ready to serve.

Overcooked Wild Rice:

Combine the rice, 6 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt in a large saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the grains open all the way, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. The rice should be very cooked (not even the slightest chewy). Drain well, spread on a baking sheet in an even layer and set aside. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Pomegranate Molasses Dressing:

Whisk together the vinegar, pomegranate molasses, honey, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl until combined. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. The dressing will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.

Finally, this Ina recipe is the easiest recipe you’ll ever make. I love roasting vegetables to give them crunchy, crispy texture. I make this recipe all the time but it never gets boring.

Ina Garten’s Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer them to a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp outside and tender inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the Brussels sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt (I like these salty like French fries) and serve hot.