Pork with Cranberry Apple Salad

Here’s a fantastic everyday dinner of pork with cranberry and apple salad. You can’t beat this great taste in under 30 minutes.

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Have you had a crazy Monday like I have?  If so, then dinner is probably the last thing on your mind.   I usually have a few backup meals in my freezer for days like this.  When I’m tired and the last thing I want to do is cook.   I’d have to say that 30 minutes is usually my time limit before I lose it!  🙂

This sounds like a fancy meal, but it’s really not.  It’s so easy, quick and so flavorful! I usually buy a few packs of fresh cranberries this time of year so I can use them throughout the year.  This is served on top of a Smithfield® Marinated Roasted Garlic & Herb Pork Loin Filet I bought at Food Lion on my last grocery shopping trip.

We have pork tenderloin a lot at our house! We have it at least once a week and this cranberry and apple salad is the perfect topper for it!

Cranberry and Apple Salad

You can serve the cranberry and apple salad right on top of the pork or on the side.  The house smells so good!  You can make this earlier in the day and chill and serve it cold, but I love it warm.  

Luckily, I had a Smithfield Marinated Roasted Garlic & Herb Pork Loin Filet for a quick meal.  I love that these are perfectly seasoned for any night and have Real Flavor Real Fast.  They also carry tenderloins and roasts in many different flavors.

If you are looking for some more great Real Flavor Real Fast inspiration you can click over their website.  You’ll find some delicious-looking recipes that take less than 30 minutes!

Kitchen Tools to make Apple Cranberry Salad

Cutting Board Mats– These are one of the favorite things I have in the kitchen. They don’t take up much space so they’re easy to store. They’re easy to clean and they are great for adding ingredients to mixing bowls and hot pots.

Apple slicer– This kitchen tool isn’t necessary because you can cut an apple with a knife. I bought this years ago at Pampered Chef party and I was broke so I bought the cheapest thing there! I use this weekly. I love it.

Zester– I didn’t buy a zester for a long time, but as soon as I did I was using it all the time. This is a great one and can be used for all kinds of things.

Air Fryer– I’ve been cooking my pork loins in my air fryer lately and I LOVE it! It’s so easy and the pork stays moist. Here’s the one I have.

To cook the pork loin in the air fryer, you’ll need to preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes. I set mine on the 390F setting. I cook it for 10 minutes, flip and cook for another 10 minutes or until it reaches 145F.

Ingredients for apple and cranberry salad

• Pork loin
• Apples- I normally use granny smith apples when making this salad. They hold up well in the heat and don’t get mushy. Make sure to peel and then chop them in bite sized pieces.
• Cranberries- You’ll want to use fresh cranberries, NOT dried cranberries. You can usually find these fresh in the produce department around the holidays. Some stores carry frozen, but I have only seen them a couple of times.
• Apple cider vinegar
• Brown sugar
• Orange zest
• Cinnamon

Instructions

Step 1

Cook pork loin in an air fryer or oven until the temperature reaches 145F.

Step 2

While pork is cooking, peel the apples and chop them into pieces.

Step 3

Mix all the ingredients, add to a pot and bring to a boil.  The cranberries will start popping.  This takes around 5-8 minutes.

Step 4

Once cranberries have popped, turn the heat down and simmer for about 20 minutes to reduce the liquid.

More great recipes you’ll like

• Simple Homemade Cranberry Sauce
• Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
• Grilled Potato Salad
• Sugared Cranberries
• Easy Apple Pie Pizza

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