Quinoa’s protein is complete—it contains all the essential amino acids, like animal proteins do—making it a rarity for a plant food.
Ingredients
2 cups quinoa
1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
1 (8oz) bag prewashed baby spinach
3 tsp granulated garlic
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp organic applesauce
1 chipotle pepper from adobo sauce, seeded and roughly chopped
½ cup Fuji apples, peeled and diced small
3 tbsp organic applesauce
1 cup pomegranate mixed-berry jam or any type of berry jam
½ cup jalapeño jam
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
2 tbsp chipotle adobo sauce
2 tbsp applesauce
3 tbsp minced fresh rosemary, plus a few sprigs for garnish
2 tbsp blackened fish seasoning
2 tbsp granulated garlic
2 tsp garlic salt
2½ lbs pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
Directions
Prepare quinoa according to package directions but substitute vegetable stock for water. Gently fold in spinach, garlic, pepper, and applesauce. Cover and set aside.
While quinoa cooks, combine chipotle, apples, applesauce, and jams. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook an additional 10 minutes. Remove ⅓ cup of jam mixture and combine with ½ cup water and rosemary to make a sauce for basting the tenderloin. Set aside remaining jam sauce for serving.
Heat grill to 375°F. In a small bowl, combine adobo sauce, applesauce, rosemary, fish seasoning, granulated garlic, and garlic salt. Using gloved hands, rub pork with the mixture.
Brush oil on grill. Add meat to grill and brush it with the basting sauce. Close lid and cook 6 to 8 minutes. Turn pork and baste again. Cook another 7 minutes, or until meat thermometer inserted in center reads 145°F.
Remove pork from grill, loosely tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Slice pork on the diagonal into ¼-inch-thick slices.
