Southwest Pork Chops

By jlynn

Brighten up a meal of pork chops with a medley of tomatoes, zucchini, corn and black beans.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork chops (about 1/2-in/1 cm thick and 400 g in total)
• 1 cup (250 mL) canned low-sodium black beans
• 1 small handful cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup (250 mL) diced green zucchini
• 10 cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) corn kernels
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice

Preparation

Step 1

Heat 1 tsp (5 mL) oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add chops and sear, 3 minutes per side (adjust heat as necessary). Remove to a plate. Add remaining oil to pan; toss in onion and zucchini. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, then pour in orange juice. Mix in tomatoes, corn, beans and dry seasonings. Bring to a boil, then return chops to pan. Cover and simmer until pork is cooked through (turn once), about 5 minutes. Transfer vege­table mixture and pork chops to plates; sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with mashed potatoes, if desired.

Bonus: Black beans contain lots of fibre, orange juice contains folate as well as loads of vitamin C, zucchini contains only 19 calories per cup, and red onion is a rich source of chromium, which can help improve the body's response to insulin.

Tip: Frozen corn can be lower in sodium than canned; store cherry tomatoes at room temperature, as they lose flavour in the refrigerator.

Wine pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon, a full-flavoured red, goes well with robust foods.