Do you ever ever have those parenting moments when you stop and think to yourself how very, very different things are from your days pre-kids? I have them daily. In fact, when I made this roasted pork and vegetables dish I had one. Why? Simply because it is made in one pan. That’s right. Dinners made in one pan now bring me pure joy. If you had told me 5 years ago I would experience this kind of excitement over a meal that could be made in one pot/dish/pan, I would’ve laughed. Yet, here we are. Because I don’t know about you, but on a busy weeknight when the main goal is to get something nutritious and delicious on the table, I can’t be bothered with complex dinners that require loads of dirty dishes.
This dinner will be precisely one of those small daily victories. In season, ridiculously delicious, easy to make, full of nutrients, and more…all in one pan. You can use whatever combination of vegetables you and your family like best – add carrots, potatoes, brussel sprouts, parsnips, etc… but the apple, red onion, sweet potato and butternut squash combination is the perfect flavor profile to compliment pork. It’s comfort food at its finest. And with just a few pulses in the food processor, it’s a dish even those as young as 9 months can enjoy with you!
- 1 red onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 lb. peeled and diced butternut squash
- 2 red apples, cored and diced
- 2 lbs. pork tenderloin (I use 2 (1lb.) loins)
- Salt and pepper
- ¾ cup apple cider
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 5-6 fresh thyme sprigs
- Preheat oven to 400. Add chopped vegetables and apples to a roasting pan. Pat pork loin dry with a paper towel and place over vegetables. Season the pork and vegetables generously with salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together cider, maple syrup and olive oil. Pour over pork and vegetables, tossing vegetables lightly to evenly distribute liquids. Lay the thyme sprigs on top. Place in oven and roast, basting occasionally and tossing vegetables for 60 minutes. You want the vegetables fork tender and the pork at an internal temperature of 165. Allow pork to rest 10 minutes. Serve sliced pork over a scoop of vegetables and a drizzle of pan juices.
- * If you're feeling extra motivated, you can strain the juices from the pan and pour into a small saucepan over high heat. Boil until juices reduce and become thick and syrupy, approx. 5 minutes. Pour glaze over pork and vegetables.
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