Recipe: Sage-Rubbed Pork Chops with Warm Apple Slaw

This dish is a fresh, new take on a classic, old-world flavor combo — pork, apples, cabbage and sage.

Here the cabbage is brightened with shredded carrots and cooked until just softened into a crisp-tender warm slaw seasoned with slivers of sweet-tart apple.

The sage-rubbed pork loin chops are lean, with less fat than skinless chicken thighs; they stay flavorful, moist and juicy by cooking until slightly blush in the center — there is no need to overcook them as in days of yore.

In 30 minutes, start to finish, you have a sumptuous, healthy main course and vegetable in one pan. To further step up the easy factor, you can even use a 16-ounce bag of slaw mix instead of having to shred a whole cabbage and carrots.

Serve with some crusty brown bread or my Mashed Potatoes with Cauliflower.

Sage-Rubbed Pork Chops with Warm Apple Slaw

For the chops:
• 1 Tb. chopped fresh sage (or 1 tsp. dried)
• 1 large clove garlic,minced (about 1 tsp.)
• ½ tsp. salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Four ¾-inch-thick bone-in pork loin chops (about 8 ounces each)
• 2 tsps. olive oil

For the slaw:
• 2 tsps. olive oil
• 1 large onion, cut in half, then thinly sliced into half-moons
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, cut in half, cored and coarsely shredded
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh sage (or½ tsp. dried)
• ½ head green cabbage, cored and coarsely shredded (about 9 cups)
• 3 large carrots, coarsely shredded (about 3 cups)
• 2 Tbs. cider vinegar
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth

To make the chops, combine the sage, garlic, salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl. Rub this mixture all over the pork chops and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.Add the chops and brown on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a plate.

To make the slaw, carefully wipe out the pan. Heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, apple and sage. Cook, stirring a few times, until softened and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cabbage, carrots, vinegar and salt and continue cooking until the cabbage and carrots begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and return the pork chops to the pan, burying them in the vegetable mixture. Cover and cook just until the pork chops have a slight blush in the center, 5 to 7 minutes longer.

To serve, arrange the warm slaw on individual plates and top with a pork chop and pan juices.

Yield: 4 servings

Per serving: 330 calories; 22g carbohydrates; 32g protein; 13g fat (3.5g saturated); 6g fiber; 70mg cholesterol; 720mg sodium

Recipe reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Taunton Press Inc., from The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, by Ellie Krieger. Copyright by Ellie Krieger.