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.

Quick & Easy: Boneless Pork Chops with Mushrooms & Thyme

Although this recipe serves two, you can easily double or triple it.  Your taste buds will love the nice change in these pork chops' flavor.  Again, as with all the other recipes that have made their way to this blog, it's a keeper!

Serves - 2  /  Serving Size - 1 pork chop & 1/2 of sauce

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

2 5-oz boneless, center-cut pork loin chops, trimmed & pounded to 1/4" thick

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium shallot, minced

1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (about 4 oz)

1/2 cup dry vermouth [substituted white cooking wine]

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1.  Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.  Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat.  Add the pork chops and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to 2 serving plates; tent with foil to keep warm.

2.  Swirl oil into the pan, add shallot and cook, stirring until soft, about 30 seconds.  Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to brown, about 2 minutes.  Add vermouth and cook for 15 seconds.  Stir in mustard, thyme and any juices that have accumulated from the pork; cook until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes more.  Spoon the sauce over the pork chops and serve immediately.

Exchanges: 1 vegetable  /  4 medium-fat meat

Calories - 298                            Sodium - 382mg

Total Fat - 13 g                          Total Carbs - 4g

   Saturated Fat - 6g                        Dietary Fiber - 1g

   Monounsat Fat - 6g                 Protein - 26g

Cholesterol - 77mg

Source: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/boneless_pork_chops_with_mushrooms_thyme.html

Review/Suggestions:

• I put both chops in a large zip-lock bag and used a meat mallet to flatten them.  The tip suggested putting the chops between two sheets of plastic wrap.  Sorry, but too easy for the chop to go shooting out one side when you pound it - no matter how you try to seal the edges of the plastic wrap.
• I cooked the chops for an additional 2-3 minutes as the juices from the chops still ran pink instead of clear.
• I placed both chops on a serving platter so I only had the platter to tent with foil.
• Since I didn't have vermouth, I checked online as to what substitution I could use.  White grape juice, dry white wine or as the recipe suggested unsweetened apple juice were recommended.
• I honestly do not know how this sauce was suppose to thicken as there was no dry ingredient added to absorb the liquid.  I just continued to let the sauce simmer and reduce down.

Quick & Easy: Cranberry Pork Chops

I saw this recipe last year and wanted to try it.  Only problem, it was the "off" season for fresh cranberries.  Solved that problem by buying extra bags this past holiday season and putting them in the freezer.  And this recipe is definitely worth having cranberries on hand.

Serves - 4  /  Serving Size - 1 pork chop & 1/4 sauce
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp celery salt
4 boneless pork loin chops (approx. 12 oz total)
2 tsp cooking oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced & separated into rings
2 Tblspn water
3/4 cup cranberries
1/4 cup sugar [used 1/8 cup Splenda blend]
3 Tblspn water
2 Tblspn frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed [used oj with extra pulp]
1 tsp finely shredded orange peel
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp salt

1.  In a small bowl stir together pepper and celery salt; rub onto both side of chops.  In a medium skillet heat oil over medium-high heat.  Cook pork chops and onion rings in hot oil until chops are browned, turning once.  Carefully add the 2 tablespoons water to skillet.  Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes more or until juices run clear (160º).  Transfer chops to serving plate; keep warm.  Remove onions from juices with a slotted spoon.  Set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, for the sauce, in a medium saucepan combine cranberries, sugar, the 3 tablespoons water, the orange juice concentrate, orange peel, sage, and salt.  Cook and stir over medium heat about 10 minutes or until the cranberry skins pop and mixture thickens.  Stir in the onions; heat through.  Serve sauce with pork chops.

Exchanges:  1-1/2 fruit  ;  2 lean meat
Calories - 209                          Sodium - 264mg
Total Fat - 8g                           Total Carbs - 22g   w/net carbs - 20g
   Saturated Fat - 2g                     Dietary Fiber - 2g
Cholesterol - 38mg                   Protein - 13g

[Sugars were not included in the Nutrition Facts]

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Great Recipes Collection Diabetic Meals

Review/Suggestions:

• Didn't have celery salt so substituted with regular salt.
• While I was getting the ingredients together for the pork rub, I went ahead and put together the ingredients for the cranberries.  So when it came time to prepare them, all I had to do was turn the burner on.
• Next time I would definitely cut the amount of pepper to an 1/8 teaspoon so it's not so strong.
• Didn't have sage, and honestly with how strong the pepper was, I'm not sure you would have been able to taste it.
• The adjustment in pepper aside, this is definitely a nice change for preparing pork chops.

Quick & Easy: Szechwan Pork Stir-Fry over Spinach

I love being able to take a butter-fly pork chop and turn it into this!

Serves - 2
Preparation Time - 10 minutes
Cook Time - 12-15 minutes

2 tsp sesame oil, divided
3/4 cup matchstick-size carrot strips
8 oz pork tenderloin, thinly sliced, slived halved
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced bottled or fresh ginger
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flatkes
1 Tblspn reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tblspn mirin* or dry sherry
2 tsp cornstarch
8 oz baby spinach
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

*Mirin, a sweet wine made from rice, is an essential flavoring in Japanese cuisine.  It is available in Asian markets and the Asian or gourmet section of some supermarkets.

1.  Heat 1 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add carrot strips.  Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add pork, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes to taste.  Stir-fry 3 minutes or until pork is no longer pink.  Combine soy sauce, mirin and cornstarch in small bowl.  Add to pork mixture.  Stir-fry 1 minute or until sauce thickens.

2.  Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add spinach.  Cover and cook 1 minute.  Uncover and turn spinach with tongs.  Cover and cook until spinach is barely wilted, about 1 minute.  Transfer spinach to 2 serving plates.  Spoon pork mixture over spinach.  Top with sesame seeds.

Exchanges: 2 vegetables / 3-1/2 lean meat
Calories - 256                         Sodium - 466mg
   Calories from Fat - 35%     Total Carb - 11g   w/net carb - 8g
Total Fat - 10g                           Dietary Fiber - 3g
   Saturated Fat - 2g                   Sugar - [not listed - but negligible from carrots & either wine ]
Cholesterol - 73mg                  Protein - 29g

Source: Diabetic Cooking, 3 Books in 1 - Snacks, Main Dishes, Desserts, Publications International, Ltd.

Review/Suggestions:

• Don't attempt using a wok.  It cooks too hot and the sauce will immediately go past thick into a nice tasty clump.
• I just recently bought sesame oil - but the other times I just used regular cooking oil.
• To make this even easier, you can go with minced garlic from a jar.  It works when you don't have any fresh garlic.
• Baby carrots also make it quick and easy to cut into matchstick size.
• And if the other person opts out for spinach, there's always sticky rice (but only if you don't have to watch the carbs).