Adapted from Cooking Light
- 4 Tbs maple syrup
- 4 Tbs balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 4 center-cut pork loin chops (appx 1 lb.)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
To prepare the pork loins: Place them a cutting board and trim any excess fat. Cover them with heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound to appx 1/4 inch thickness. Season each side with salt and pepper.
In a small, nonstick saucepan, combine the syrup and the vinegar. (Nonstick is crucial here.) Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 3-5 minutes, whisking occasionally. (Turn on the exhaust fan and open window while this reduces. It is as potent as it is delicious.) Once reduced, set aside.
While the glaze reduces, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan, and cook appx 2-3 minutes on each side. Add glaze, and cook 1 more minute (or until the pork has reached desired degree of done-ness). Turn the pork to coat it with the glaze. Place the pork on a serving platter, drizzle with remaining glaze, and enjoy!
Serving suggestions:
Basic quinoa – Rinse 1 cup of quinoa under cold water. In a medium sauce pan, bring 1 1/4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat to a simmer; cover; and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sugar snap peas — In a large skillet, combine 2 cups of sugar snap peas; 1 inch of water; pinch of salt; and 1 Tbs sugar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer; cover; and cook for 5-10 minutes, depending on how snappy you like our peas. (Note: If you prefer to string your sugar snap peas, I recommend doing so before cooking them. I’ve read that stringing them after preserves the flavor during cooking, but it’s a LOT easier to do it before cooking.)
Nutritional Info for the Pork Only (Yield 4 servings)
Calories — 214
Fat — 6.4 g
Cholesterol — 63 mg
Sodium — 409 mg
Carbohydrate — 15.3 g
Dietary Fiber — 0.1 g
Protein — 22.7 g
