Quick & Easy: Breaded Pork Medallions with Cranberry Onion Chutney

You have to try it to really appreciate the flavors!

Serves - 8 / Serving Size - 2 medallions
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Cranberry Onion Chutney
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup Splenda
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup low-sugar apricot preserves

Breaded Pork Medallions
1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 16 medallions
3 egg whites
1 tsp hot sauce
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp olive oil
Cooking spray

1.  Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and red onion, and sauté 6-7 minutes or until ingredients begin to caramelize.  Add cranberries, Splenda, vinegar, and preserves.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until chutney has a thick jam-like consistency.

2.  Pound pork medallions until about 1/4 inch thick.

3.  In a small bowl, whisk together egg whites and hot sauce.  In a separate bowl, stir together the cornmeal, garlic salt, and black pepper.

4.  Dip each medallion in egg mixture, then in cornmeal to coat.

5.  Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and a generous amount of cooking spray to the pan.  Once the oil is hot, sauté the medallions in batches, cooking for about 2 minutes on each side.

6.  Serve chutney over the medallions.

Exchanges/Carbs: 2 lean meat / 1-1/2 carbs
Calories - 180                           Sodium - 125mg
   Calories from Fat - 35            Total Carbs - 22 g    w/ net Carbs - 20g
Total Fat - 4g                                 Dietary Fiber - 2g
   Saturated Fat - 0.8g                    Sugar - 9g
   Trans Fat - 0g                         Protein - 13g
Cholesterol - 30mg

Source: The Healthy Carb Diabetes Cookbook by Chef Jennifer Bucko, MCFE & Lara Rondinelli, RD, LDN, CDE

Review/Suggestions:

• If you can't find fresh whole cranberries, check the frozen section.  Just make sure that they're not packed in syrup or added sugar.  Since I couldn't find them at all last year, I bought several bags during the holiday season and put them in the freezer.
• To save time, I had boneless pork chops that were already 1/4" thick and just them into smaller pieces.
• A little cornstarch mixed with water is my go to thickener.  Even after 25 minutes the sauce was nowhere near jam-like, so cornstarch thickener to the rescue.
• Yes, this will definitely be made again, especially the chutney.  I've found serious competition for regular cranberry sauce with the holiday turkey or chicken.