Diabetes-friendly pork dish is easy to whip up

Here’s a diabetes-friendly meal the whole family will enjoy. According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 30 million adults and children in the United States have diabetes and another 80 million Americans 20 and older are prediabetic. This covers almost one-third of our population.

The good news is that making slight changes to your lifestyle and eating healthy, diabetes-friendly meals can make a big difference. And these meals can be packed with flavor and quick and easy to prepare and are approved by the American Diabetes Association.

Here, then, is a dish you can easily whip up and your family will love it.

Balsamic Pork Scaloppini with Garlic Sweet Potatoes and Sugar Snap Peas

Sweet and tart balsamic vinegar dresses up the pork scaloppini. Sweet potato sticks and sugar snap peas add a colorful side dish. Using the microwave oven helps speed the cooking of the potatoes and snap peas. As an added bonus, the dish they’re cooked in can be used as a serving dish and then cleaned in the dishwasher. I have also given a stove-top method.

My recipes contain a shopping list organized by supermarket department. Remembering something from the produce department when you’re in the meat section can be frustrating. And there’s a list of staples to keep in the pantry, so that you only need to make a quick trip to the market for fresh ingredients.

Helpful Hints

▪ Thin-cut boneless pork chops can be used instead of pork tenderloin.

▪ Green beans or snow peas can be substituted for sugar snap peas. The cooking time and method are the same.

▪ Fresh diced onions are available in the produce section of the supermarket.

▪ Minced garlic can be found in the produce section or condiment section of the supermarket.

Countdown

▪ Microwave potatoes and sugar snap peas and set aside.

▪ Make pork dish.

Remove visible fat from tenderloin and cut into 2-inch slices. Flatten the slices with a meat pounder or the bottom of a heavy skillet to about 1/4-inch. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with olive oil spray. Add pork and onions to the skillet. Saute pork 2 minutes, turn and sauté 2 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add salt and pepper to taste. Raise heat to high, add vinegar. Reduce liquid by half, about 1 minute. Add pine nuts and warm through, about 1 minute. Divide pork between two dinner plates and spoon the sauce and pine nuts on top. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 338 calories (86 calories from fat ), 9.6 g total fat, 2.1 g saturated fat , 4 g monounsaturated fat, 108 mg cholesterol, 113 mg sodium, 20.2 g carbohydrate, 1.9 g dietary fiber, 13 g sugar, 39 g protein.

Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 carbohydrate, 5 lean meat, 1/2 fat.

Peel potatoes and cut into sticks about the same size as the sugar snap peas (about 2 inches by 1/2-inch).

Microwave method

Place potatoes, sugar snap peas and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove from microwave.

Stove-top method

Bring a sauce pan of water to a boil and add the potatoes. Boil 3 minutes, add sugar snap peas and garlic. Boil 2 more minutes. Drain. Makes 2 servings.

Add olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well.

Per serving: 165 calories (42 calories from fat), 4.7 g total fat, 0.7 g saturated fat, 3.3 g monounsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 66 mg sodium, 28.2 g carbohydrate, 5 g dietary fiber, 7.1 g sugar, 3.6 g protein.

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.

Shopping List

Meat: 3/4 pound pork tenderloin; Grocery: 1 bottle balsamic vinegar,1 package pine nuts; Produce:1 container fresh diced onion, 1/4 pound sugar snap peas, 1/2 pound sweet potatoes.

Staples: Olive oil spray, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, black peppercorns.

Linda Gassenheimer is the author of several books published by the American Diabetes Association, including ‘Fast and Flavorful Great Diabetes Meals From Market to Table’ and ‘Quick and Easy Chicken.’ All books are available at bookstores and www.shopdiabetes.org.

This story was originally published May 18, 2015 at 9:04 PM with the headline "Diabetes-friendly pork dish is easy to whip up."