I’m not much of a pork fan, unless it comes to pork tenderloin.
When cooked properly, the “other white meat” truly satisfies all dinner desires.

Well, I suppose I’m not fully satisfied until I get in my daily double (triple, quadruple…) dose of veggies.

Thus, oven roasted pork tenderloin coupled with the zesty spring zing of lemon carrot purée and fresh thyme truly made me smile today.

Oh, but what if we topped it off with some fresh feta cheese?

Guess what…

…we did!

Lemon Thyme Carrot Purée and Roasted Pork Tenderloin

3 large organic carrots, chopped**
1 medium organic russet potato, peeled and chopped
2 Tbs. Kerrygold butter
juice and zest of 1 organic lemon
1 Tbs. + fresh thyme
sea salt and pepper

1 lb. pork tenderloin
juice and zest of 1/2 organic lemon
sea salt and pepper

2 Tbs. fresh feta cheese

Place the carrots and potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cover, cooking until the veggies are super soft. Drain. Transfer to a food processor, along with the butter and lemon juice and zest. Process until super smooth. Stir in the fresh thyme and salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. 
Bring the tenderloin to room temperature and rub all surfaces with salt and pepper and drizzle with lemon juice.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, roast the tenderloin for exactly 5 minutes (5 minutes per pound). Keeping the oven door tightly shut, turn off the oven and allow the tenderloin to continue to cook for 60 minutes. 
After 60 minutes, insert a meat thermometer into the loin to ensure it has reached a safe 165 degrees.
Remove from oven, tent with foil for about 10 minutes, and then slice.

Serve the sliced tenderloin over the carrot puree and sprinkle with additional thyme, fresh feta, and remaining juices from the cooked pork.

**Organic carrots taste SO much better and it’s super important, since you aren’t peeling them in this recipe. Potatoes are constantly on the “dirty dozen” list, which means organic is essential – AND you’re using the zest of the lemon, so that better be organic too!