Cherry Tomato Balamic Pork/Chicken/Salmon

Sometimes I like to pretend that I eat healthy. Now don't get me wrong, I don't eat tons of over-processed, fatty junk foods and fast food. I do try to keep my pantry free of lots of pre-made meals and processed foods (granted I do have a couple boxes of mac & cheese in my pantry, to my shame). But I do enjoy using butter, sugar and all those things that can pack on the fat and calories.

This meal in particular is one of the healthier ones I have come up with lately. It is essentially just balsamic-glazed meat with tomatoes. You can use chicken, salmon or pork, all are great. You can add some mozzarella or parmesan if you like cheese (let's be honest, if you don't like cheese, you shouldn't be on my blog). Sage or thyme are both great with balsamic. Toss in some zucchini, broccoli or asparagus. Serve it with white/brown rice or pasta. I just love balsamic anything! I have even had balsamic ice cream and it was awesome, so when I say that I love balsamic you know that I mean it! But the options with this concept are endless!

TIPS:
Pork chops will usually cook faster than if you were to use chicken or something else, FYI
After adding the tomatoes, shake the pan every once in the while to get the tomatoes glazed on all sides
Balsamic vinegar will caramelize and then burn quickly if you leave it alone too long, keep a close eye and keep it moving!

I used pork and served with mashed potatoes and a salad this time!

INGREDIENTS
4 portions of pork chops, chicken breasts or salmon
2 cups of cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp of dried thyme/sage
1 tsp garlic powder
3-4 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp of olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan/Mozzarela cheese

DIRECTIONS
Heat a large skillet with a lid to medium heat, and add olive oil. Season all sides of your meat with salt, pepper, garlic and thyme/sage. Once your pan and oil are thoroughly heated, add meat and cook for 3-5 mins on each side (meat should not be cooked all the way through yet). Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the meat and continuously spoon the balsamic back over the meat for about 2-3 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes to the pan and cover with a lid for a few minutes more until meat is cooked through and the tomatoes have popped. Serve over rice or pasta and top with cheese if desired. Add a side of veggies to make a complete meal!