Eating healthy in the New Year doesn’t mean you have to skimp on flavor. I’m right there with the masses trying to get my slightly-larger-than-I’d-like behind into gear now that the most fattening time of the year is over. I’m a firm believer in eating well as you’re eating less, though. I’m much more likely to stick to a healthy eating plan if the food I’m eating along the way tastes good. Feed me nothing but celery, and I’m likely to give up after a day or so…not to mention, I’ll be extremely grumpy, and nobody wants that.
This dish is absolutely delicious. The pork chops were so tender and juicy, and had so much flavor. I paired them with some roasted Brussels sprouts, and was able to treat myself to a delicious, healthy meal for under 500 calories.
I started by making my glaze. I whisked together some orange juice, whole grain mustard, and a couple of spoonfuls of orange marmalade in a small saucepan. Then, I cooked the mixture down for about fifteen minutes, until it was thick and syrupy.
Once the glaze was done, I set it aside and got my chops ready. I used thick, bone in, center cut chops. I seasoned them with salt and pepper before adding them to a pan on the stove top. I was feeding four people, but I know my girls wouldn’t finish a gigantic chop each, so I only cooked up three.
I don’t know if it’s just luck of the draw, or if it actually has something to do with the oil, but I’ve found that if I cook pork chops in Coconut Oil instead of canola or olive oil, they cook up so much jucier. This time, I used Coconut Oil again, and the results were spectacular. I just melted a bit of oil in the pan, and added the thick chops. Once they’d browned up on one side, I turned them over and added some sliced red onion and fresh rosemary to the pan.
Then, I poured the juice mixture over the top of the pork, letting it run down the sides and into the onions and rosemary.
At this point, I moved the pan to a 425* oven, where the pork baked for about 15 minutes more, until the internal temperature was 140*.
Once the pork had come to temperature, I scooped out the onions and rosemary and set them in a dish. Then, I finished off the pork on the stove, adding a little bit of lime juice to the pan juices, creating a delicious, tangy savory sauce.
I poured the sauce over the pork, added some onions and rosemary to my plate, and we had an amazing, healthy, calorie-conscious meal that certainly tasted a whole lot better than celery sticks.
ORANGE-MUSTARD GLAZED PORK CHOPS
Adapted from Cooking Light
Orange-Mustard Glazed Pork Chops
Recipe Type: Dinner
Cuisine: Healthy
Author: Adapted from Cooking Light
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 Tbsp. orange marmalade
- 1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
- 1 Tbsp. coconut or canola oil
- 4 (6 oz.) thick cut pork loin chops
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 red onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- Preheat the oven to 425*F.
- In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, marmalade and mustard. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until syrupy. Set aside.
- Heat a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, and swirl to coat the pan. Season the pork with salt and pepper, and add the chops to the hot pan.
- Cook for 5 minutes, or until browned. Turn the pork over, and add the rosemary and onion to the pan. Pour the sauce over the pork.
- Transfer the pan to the oven, and bake at 425*F for 10-15 minutes, or until the pork has an internal temperature of 140*F.
- Remove the onion and rosemary and set aside. Return the pan to the stove top, over medium high heat. Add the lime juice to the pan. Cook for 4 more minutes, or until the liquid is thick and syrupy.
- Add pork to the plate with the onions and rosemary, and drizzle the syrupy sauce over the pork before serving.
- ENJOY!
3.2.2925