Looking for an easy, hands-off Easter meal? This dinner will convince you that slow cookers aren’t just for the Winter! Springtime Maple Dijon Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables transforms classic springtime ingredients into a sweet and tangy dish that will be sure to impress!
It is finally Spring here in Winnipeg. Nearly all the snow has melted, the birds are out in full force (including those pesky Canadian Geese) and everyone is anxious to soak-up the sun. Easter is also a few sleeps away meaning everyone is frantically searching for the perfect recipe to serve over the long weekend. This year, my table will not have the classic Easter fixings but rather a fun, flavourful and seasonal dish that that features some great springtime flavours! Even better, it’s a hands-off meal made in the slow cooker! Which frees you up to make an amazing dessert. More on that coming very soon… 🙂
Did you know that Maple Syrup is a springtime creation? For some reason, I always associated maple syrup with winter. Maybe it was my early school years at Festival du Voyageur or the fact that every bottle of the liquid gold seems to depict a snowy scene in the backwoods of Quebec, but I never envisioned maple syrup to be a sign of spring. Some Canadian I am! Thanks to Canadian Food Focus for sharing how maple syrup is made I was inspired and challenged myself to bring the classic Canadian staple to a light and fresh meal that suits the sunny and hopeful days of early spring. I love celebrating Canadian Agriculture and what better way than to show-off some great Canadian food in a tasty dish fit for a celebration?
While maple syrup sadly isn’t the most affordable ingredient in the world, I highly encourage you to invest in a small bottle for this recipe. This recipe doesn’t require much and the sugary pancake syrup that we all have in the back of our pantries won’t do this dish justice.
Springtime Maple Dijon Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables boasts the most amazingly sweet and tangy sauce that I want to put on everything. Seriously, there is a region I shot this dish with egg noodles. In testing, I couldn’t decide if the meat and sauce went best with baby potatoes or egg noodles so I carbed-out and shot this dish with both! I suggest you serve the pork and veggie mixture on top of a bed of spinach, as the spinach ends-up coated in the sauce and turns it into a stunner of a meal. Plus, it looks pretty for serving, which is key for Easter entertaining!
Not serving this for Easter? Springtime Maple Dijon Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables makes a great midweek meal for those on the go! Simply omit the green beans and program your slow cooker to start to cook on low 4 hours before you want to eat! I don’t suggest making this mean with green beans if you are not around to monitor the dish and add them half way through as they can over cook easily and become too mushy.
Looking for the perfect dessert to cap-off this ultra-Canadian Easter meal? Try-out my Easter Chocolate & Strawberry Mousse Cups!
Springtime Maple Dijon Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderlon (roughly 2 pounds)
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp grainy dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves diced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1.5 pounds baby potatoes
- 3/4 cup carrots
- 1 medium sized red onion cut in strips
- 3/4 cup green beans
- 1/2 283 gram bag of spinach
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Sprinkle salt and pepper on pork tenderloin. In frying pan, heat-up canola oil to medium-high heat. Brown pork tenderloin, one minute per side. Place browned pork aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix white wine, water, maple syrup, grainy dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, garlic, thyme and oregano.
- Add potato, chopped carrots and onions to slow cooker. Add half of liquid mixture to veggies and stir. Place browned pork tenderloin in middle of vegetables and pour remaining liquid on top. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.
- At one hour mark, remove lid, and place green beans over vegetables and pork. Replace lid and cook for another hour.
- On a serving platter, spread-out half a bag of spinach. Remove pork from slow cooker. Spoon vegetable mixture on top of spinach. Slice pork and place on top of vegetables and top with remaining liquid and a sprinkle of parsley. Serve!
Did you make Springtime Maple Dijon Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables at home?
If so, take a picture and tag it with #PeppersAndPennies! I love seeing your creations and will gladly share your photo!
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