Balsamic Fig Pork Chops & Roasted Parmesan Broccoli
This Mediterranean style meal is rich in flavor and nutrients but low in carbs and calories. Pork chops are bathed in a tangy sweet balsamic sauce and accompanied with roasted parmesan broccoli. Each serving provides 8 grams of fiber or 30% of your daily requirement. Pork is a lean red meat and is a good source of vitamin B6 and iron. Broccoli, a cruciferous vegetable, is packed with immune boosting vitamin C as well as cancer fighting and heart protective antioxidants.
Makes: 4 servings
Time to cook: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Balsamic Fig Pork Chops
- 1.5 pounds boneless or bone-in pork chops (4 per package)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 8-10 dried figs, diced
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch or tapioca
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Roasted Parmesan Broccoli
- 1.5 pounds broccoli (2 medium crowns), cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss broccoli, olive oil, salt and pepper in large bowl. Spray non-stick baking sheet with oil and add arrange broccoli on sheet. Place in oven and set timer for 20 minutes.
- While broccoli is roasting, season pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pork chops and diced shallots to pan (keeping them separate). Cook for 2-3 minutes, then turn pork chops over and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring shallots occasionally. Remove pork chops to a plate, leaving shallots in pan.
- Add balsamic vinegar, broth and figs to pan, combining with shallots. Turn heat to high and bring sauce to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer until sauce is reduced by half, about 7-8 minutes. In the meantime, combine corn starch (or tapioca) and water in a small bowl. Add to pan, combining with sauce and simmer for 1 minute. Add pork chops back to pan and simmer on low for 1-2 minutes each side or until fully cooked. Note: thin pork chops cook very fast. Don’t overcook or they will be tough.
- Remove roasted broccoli from oven and place in bowl. Toss with parmesan cheese. Plate broccoli and pork chops on dishes and spoon balsamic fig sauce over pork. Serve immediately.
Nutrition per serving:
Pork Chops: Calories: 333, Protein: 27 g, Carbohydrates: 26 g, Fat: 12.5 g (3.5 g Saturated, 1.2 g Poly, 7.3 g Mono), Cholesterol: 70 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 20 g, Sodium: 442 mg, Potassium: 309 mg. Nutrition Bonus: 20% RDI Vitamin B6.
Broccoli: Calories: 62, Protein: 6 g, Carbohydrates: 9 g, Fat: 1.4 g, Cholesterol: 4 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sodium: 76 mg, Potassium: 400 mg. Nutrition Bonus: 202% RDI Vitamin C, 15% RDI Vitamin B6.
Complete Meal: Calories: 395, Protein: 33 g, Carbohydrates: 35 g, Fat: 13.9 g (4.5 g Saturated, 1.7 g Poly, 7.7 g Mono), Cholesterol: 74 mg, Fiber: 8 g, Sugar: 20 g, Sodium: 442 mg, Potassium: 709 mg.
Recipe by Katy Nishida
