Life in the Fast Lane

As a nurse, I work 12 hour night shifts. I am also currently in school, and this semester I am in class two nights per week. As a result, I often feel like I am at the end of a sling shot being whipped around in circles as the days fly by. I usually start every semester bright eyed and bushy tailed, with all kinds of plans for how I will keep up with my work, forgo sleep for exercise, and keep up with my menu planning and cooking 4-5 times/week. Invariably, I fall behind. Delivery creeps back into the weekly budget, and fresh vegetables bought with visions of complicated (or even simple) dishes are thrown out as I fail to keep up.

I was at this point several weeks ago when spring break, that glorious week in March that makes me feel like everything might just work out, came around. For seven short days, I plugged away at my overdue readings, hit the gym, and caught up on housework. Oh, and I cooked. And with every dish, I felt like I was getting a little closer to my former self. And then it was over, and not that long after I found myself tossing all of the almost-turned vegetables together with some rice and lime juice and calling it dinner. Actually, that was just fine too.

Here's what I made back when I had my sanity:



Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Gorgonzola-Tomato Salsa
Adapted from Cooking Light

2 cups chopped tomato (I used cherry tomatoes)
1/3 cup minced red onion
1/3 cup chopped basil
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 12ish slices
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in large nonstick skillet. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add to skillet, cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until done. Divide evenly among 4 plates, top with salsa. Enjoy!