Pork and Veggie Stovetop Stew

I had the pleasure of spending this past weekend up in Ottawa with some friends. It was great to get out of the city for a bit and go on an adventure. Plus, Winterlude (a winter festival that goes on for three weeks) had just started this weekend so what better time to go?


One thing I will say though, Ottawa is COLD! Like, frigid cold! Kingston has been fairly chilly the past couple weeks but Ottawa is way colder and it's cold all the time. I felt like I spent the weekend being continuously bundled up!

One of my favorite ways to battle the chill of winter is to make some warm, hearty, heat-your-body-through-your-belly foods. My absolute favorite winter-time recipe is my mom's stew. She really does make the best stew, and she usually has it cooking all day so the delicious smells just fill the house.

Sadly, I don't have her stew recipe here, but I was able to find a different recipe that I wanted to try. It's always tricky testing a new recipe against an old favorite but I like to live on the edge..

Lucky for me, it didn't backfire and this recipe ended up being AMAZING!!! It's so quick to make and it tastes delicious and it hit the spot just right! I will still always love my mom's recipe, but this recipe has found it's way into my heart permanently.

Pork and Veggie Stovetop Stew
Prep Time: 15mins       Cook Time: 30mins      Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 Tbsps vegetable oil
12oz pork tenderloin, cubed
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 Tbsps fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, combine flour, thyme, salt, rosemary, and pepper. Toss pork in the flour mixture, coating completely.
2) In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove pork to a plate and cover with tinfoil.
3) Add remaining oil to pan. Stir in onions and garlic, cooking until lightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil.
4) Add potato, carrots and pork. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until pork and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in parsley and serve hot.

(Recipe adapted from Foodland Ontario)