Healthy: Greek-Style Pork Chops

When I was growing up eating pork meant eating pork chops coated with Shake and Bake and overcooked into a dry and crumbly mess. Needless to say, I didn't have a good impression of pork. It wasn't until my mid-twenties before I was offered a pork chop free from Shake and Bake and to my surprise, flavorful and juicy. Since that experience I have tried to overcome my mental impression of pork as those dried and flavorless frisbees I was served as a kid. This recipe is among the handful of recipes that have helped me break into the world of eating pork, even to the dismay of Muslim friends.

Pork is a great protein option for healthy eating. Sure, there are fatty cuts but like pork chops and tenderloin, many cuts are as lean as chicken and turkey breasts. Like chicken breasts, it is brutally unforgiving without fat or bone to help retain moisture. Thin, boneless chop cuts--the kind used in this recipe--must be cooked like chicken breasts: fast and at high heat to keep the moisture on the inside but hit the safe temperature for consumption.

This recipe loads up vegetables and a moderate amount of fat around a flavorful but lean pork chop. It's a great healthy recipe because it's low on carbs but filling. You could eat pita bread or another carb source with it but I like to load up the vegetables with this meal for an extremely lean but filling meal. You may find the volume of vegetables too much. If you do, just cut back proportionally.

Healthy Greek-Style Pork Chops

Servings: 4 (approximately 240 calories per serving)
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 10 minutes

Equipment:

• Mixing bowls, cups and spoons
• Large ziplock bag
• Knife and cutting board
• Skillet or grill pan
• Tongs
• Tupperware
• Fork

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless pork chops
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp fresh dill
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cucumber
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1/2 red onion
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Mix 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic, 1 tsp olive oil and pork in a ziplock bag. Shake bag to ensure good coating of the marinade on the pork. Let rest for one hour.
2. Meanwhile, chop onion, tomatoes and cucumber. Mix together. Add 1/2 tsp salt. Store in tupperware.
3. Chop dill. Mix dill with remaining 1 tsp red wine vinegar, yogurt and 1 tsp olive oil in a small container with a fork until well mixed. Taste. Adjust flavor if necessary.
4. Once pork has marinated, heat a skillet or grill pan on medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray.
5. Cook pork for 4 minutes. Flip and cook for 3-4 additional minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for two minutes.
6. Serve each pork chop with 1/4 yogurt mixture and 1/4 vegetable mixture.