Its time to get back on track. It’s been a lovely month of parties and celebrations; of eating and drinking with abandon*. But I really am ready to chose my calories more carefully and my portions more judiciously. Lean, flavorful entrees like this Balsamic Pork with Mango make the transition back to healthful eating easier.
An entree with less than 300 calories is a good fit for a 1500-calorie a day diet. I’ll start the meal with a salad (research shows that eating a salad before your main course helps you consume fewer calories in the meal with out even trying). I’ll serve the pork with a small portion of quick cooking brown rice (1/2 cup = 85 calories) which will sop up some of the sauce from the pork, and a whole lot of roast cauliflower. And yes, I’ll accompany it with a glass of wine.
After all, one can’t expect to stay on track when denied the great pleasures of food and wine.
*I actually thought I’d shown some restraint: I even turned down a couple of desserts this season. But Mr. Know-it-All Scale says otherwise.
Spiced Balsamic Pork with Mango
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 1-pound pork tenderloin, cut across in 12 even slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic
1 tablespoon honey
2 mangoes, diced
1/4 cup sliced scallions
- Combine the salt, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne in a small bowl. Lay the pork slices out in a single layer and season both the top and bottom of the slices with the spice mix.
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium high heat. Add the pork and cook until golden on the underside, about 2 minutes; turn and cook until golden. Transfer to a plate.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and add the balsamic and honey, stirring to dissolve the honey. The mixture will turn syrupy in about 30 seconds; add the mango and stir. Add the pork back to the pan and turn the slices over once to coat both sides in the sauce. Transfer to plates, top with scallions, and serve.
Makes 4 servings: 283 calories, 25 g protein, 32 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 358 mg sodium
My husband will love this recipe . Can you suggest a protein instead of pork to incorporate into this recipe ?
Boneless chicken thighs and breasts would both work really well: cut or pound them into 1/2-inch thick pieces and cook them about 3-4 minutes per side, or until an instant read thermometer registers 160F for breasts or 170F for thighs. Enjoy!
thank you !