Pork Chops With Mandarin Orange Salsa

A savory fruit-based salsa anchors this colorful, fruit- and vegetable-rich meal. Tender pork chops slowly marinated and baked to perfection are highlighted by the lime and orange undertones of this flavorful experience.
Meal Type Dinner , Main course
Ingredients
Yield:
Yield
Serves 4
  • 4 - 4-oz. boneless pork loin chops, raw
  • 8 clementines (aka Mandarin Oranges)
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt substitute seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cucumber, diced
  • 2 tablespoons grape tomatoes, quartered (about 4)
  • 1 tablespoon bell peppers, diced
  • 2 lime wedges, juice only
  • 2 cups brown rice, cooked
  • 2 cups spinach, cooked, drained
Image
Pork chops with orange salsa, Have a Plant logo, fruitsandveggies.org
Recipe created by Chef Mark Goodwin CEC, CNC for: fruitsandveggies.org
Directions
Prep: 45 min, Cook: 30 min, Total: 1 hr 15 min
  1. Place pork chops in casserole dish
  2. Peel, seed, and section the clementines
  3. Place half of the clementine sections in a small bowl (chop the other half, reserve and refrigerate for later use in salsa).
  4. Use a fork to press half the sections into small pieces.
  5. Add orange juice and soy sauce and mix together well.
  6. Pour mixture over pork chops, being sure that the chops are completely covered with marinade.
  7. Cover the dish and refrigerate 4-6 hours overnight.
  8. Pre-heat oven to 350°F
  9. In a small dish, blend onion powder, salt substitute seasoning, and chili powder.
  10. Remove chops from marinade and season both sides with spice mix.
  11. Bake in the oven for 22-28 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pork chops
  12. Combine the cucumber, grape tomatoes, bell pepper and lime juice with the remaining clementines to make a fruit and vegetable salsa
  13. Prepare brown rice and spinach according to directions on package.
  14. Serve each pork chop with equal amounts of clementine salsa, ½ cup of brown rice and ½ cup of spinach.
Nutritional Information
Serving Size: 1 Pork Chop
  • Calories: 336
  • Carbohydrates:  49.4g
    • Dietary Fiber: 5.2g
    • Total Sugars: 17.2 g
  • Protein: 30.7 g
  • Fat: 5.4g
    • Saturated Fat:1.7 g
  • Sodium: 236 mg
  • Potassium:  2319.8 mg
  • Calcium:  77.3 mg
  • Phosphorus: 424.59 mg 

Each serving provides: An excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium and fiber.

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