Easy Pork Chop Saute with Cranberries

Cranberries can be momentary pleasures, just around for late autumn - that is, unless you think to stock ahead. Buy a packet or two for the freezer so you can make this quick supper all year long. (Or out of season, look for frozen whole cranberries in the freezer case of your local market.)

Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• 4 boneless pork loin chops, (1-1 1/4 pounds), trimmed of fat
• 2/3 cup cranberry juice cocktail, or orange juice
• 2 1/2-3 tablespoons clover or other mild honey
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen, thawed, coarsely chopped (see Tip)

• Preparation

• Mix thyme and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with the thyme mixture.
• Stir cranberry juice and 2 1/2 tablespoons honey in a 1-cup glass measure until well blended.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chops and cook until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Push the chops to one side of the pan, add onion to the empty half and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour half the juice mixture into the pan. Add cranberries. Reduce heat to medium and cook, turning the chops occasionally, until cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chops to a serving plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the remaining juice mixture to the pan. Increase heat to high and cook until the mixtures reduces to form a syrupy sauce, about 2 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper and up to an additional 1/2 tablespoon honey to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chops.

Tips & Notes

• Tip: To make quick work of chopping cranberries, place whole berries in a food processor and pulse a few times until the berries are coarsely chopped.

Nutrition

Per serving: 301 calories; 10 g fat (3 g sat, 5 g mono); 81 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrates; 30 g protein; 1 g fiber; 207 mg sodium; 421 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (67% daily value), Vitamin C (30% dv), Zinc (16% dv).
Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1/2 other carb, 4 lean meat