Does cooking during the week intimidate you? Do you end up having the same thing over and over because you stick to what you know (and feel like otherwise, you’d be spending hours in the kitchen)? Well, I got a solution for you with this QUICK pork chop and sauteed apple dinner.
And not gonna lie – I can’t NOT think of my Dad and Peter Brady every time I make it.
Why? For starters, growing up, my Dad’s idea of a healthy side dish to almost every meal would be applesauce. We’d have cheeseburgers and fries while Mom worked.
And it was all considered “healthy” as long as we had applesauce alongside it.
Not to knock him down, but I am taking a slightly healthier spin on my Dad’s favorite “healthy” side and incorporating it into the meal as one of the main components.
As for Peter Brady, the video clip is pretty much self explanatory.
As with many of my dinners, I typically make double of this meal to have the next day. Throw all the leftovers in a tupperware and have your co-workers be jealous of your delish, not-so-sad desk lunch 🙂
And to avoid getting yourself in a rut of being bored with your meals after having the same thing multiple times in a row, I like to make small changes to the meal before packing it away. In the example above, tossed in some prepped sweet potato fries and chopped walnuts to make it slightly different from the night before.
How do you like to repurpose your meals??? Let me know in the comments below!
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Simple Pan Seared Pork Chops and Sauteed Apples
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Prep Time: 5 minutes -
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
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Total Time: 15-17 minutes
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Yield: 2 servings
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Pin RecipeDescription
a staple in my kitchen for a quick weeknight meal and contains minimal ingredients! Instructions provide options for either sauteed kale or bok choy as the side dish.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless center cut pork chops, pounded down to 1/2 in. thick
- 1 Fuji apple, or apple of choice
- Maldon flaked sea salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Ground mustard, to taste
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
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- 1 bundle of Kale, about 8-10 stalks
- 1/4 cup water
- A splash of Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 TBSP minced garlic, approx. 3 cloves
OR
- 2 baby bok choy, I get mine from Trader Joe’s
- 1 TBSP minced garlic, approx. 3 cloves
- Fresh squeezed lemon juice
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- Avocado/Olive Oil Spray
Instructions
Prep Ingredients
If you did not have your butcher already do so, pound the boneless pork chops down to 1/2 inch thick. No need to have a fancy meat tenderizer to do so. I use a mason jar :). Set the chops on a layer of paper towels and pat dry.
Chop up the apple into cubes. Set aside.
Take the kale leaves off the stems, tear into smaller pieces, and put into a bowl. Set aside.
OR
Cut each bok choy in half if you are doing bok choy instead of kale.
Cook
Heat the cast iron skillet to medium/high and spray with avocado oil spray. Season the meat (that has already been dried with the paper towel) with salt, ground mustard and pepper (and red pepper flakes if you want). Lay the SEASONED SIDE DOWN into the cast iron skillet. Season the other side while the chops cook. After about 4-5 minutes, turn the chops over (but don’t peak before then! You don’t want to lose the crust).
Once the chops are flipped over, turn the heat down to medium, and add the apples and the desired amount of red pepper flakes. Move the apples around in the pan to ensure they get coated with the juices of the pork chop. Cook the chops for another 3-4 minutes, or until fully cooked.
Set the meat and apples on a plate and cover loosely with foil.
Prepare the Kale/Bok Choy
Kale Instructions: Over medium heat, toss in the kale leaves, and give it a good spray of avocado oil. cook for about 1 minute before adding in the minced garlic. Toss around for another 2 minutes, or until the leaves are wilted. Add in a splash of apple cider vinegar and the 1/4 cup of water. Cook until all water has evaporated.
Serve immediately alongside the pork chops and apples.
Bok Choy instructions: Give your pan a good spray of avocado oil. Place each bok choy half, cut side down, into the pan. Squeeze lemon juice over top and let cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic. Once browned, flip over and cook on the other side. If you like the box choy to be more tender, add a splash of water and cover with a lid to let it steam!
ENJOY!
Notes
- For a step by step video, check out @MissFingerFoodie on Instagram! The video is in the highlight section at the top labeled Apple Pork Chops.
- Olive oil or any other cooking spray on hand could be used in place of avocado oil! I like using the avocado oil because of it’s high smoke point (aka it can handle the heat), and helps my cast iron from smoking too much.
- This can also be done in a regular fry pan, but I think the cast iron gives you the best crust.
- Rosemary would be a good addition to the sauteed apples if you have it on hand!
Keywords: whole30
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