Spiced Pork Tenderloin - With Lemony Pear and Cranberry Relish

Fresh, Clean Ingredients

Close-up of Relish

Spice Mixture



Browing the Pork



Finished product....so flavorful!


Holy crap.  This was sooooooooo good!  I have been talking about this dish since Tuesday when I first started preparing it.  When the latest issue of Clean Eating Magazine came to my house, I could not put it down.  M thought I was crazy - I kept moaning while I was reading through it.   :)   It is my favorite issue so far.  This dish is so easy, fast and VERY, VERY flavorful!  I served it alone but we did have a huge salad too.  Look at how much protein is in one serving - 26 GRAMS!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

(Copied directly from, Clean Eating Magazine, February 2011 Issue, page 43).  This is NOT an original recipe.

Serves 4.  Hands-on time: 12 minutes.  Total time: 32 minutes

Relishes are the new salsas!  They're a finely chopped blend of intensely flavored ingredients with a little acid (think citrus juices or vinegars) added in along with some heat, thanks to ginger, jalapeno or red pepper flakes.  Combine sweet, spicy and crunchy elements for texture, and you've got a new accompaniment to your favorite meats or seafood.


INGREDIENTS:

RELISH

• 1 firm large pear (8 oz.), halved, cored and diced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (I left this out)
• 2 tbsp chopped dried cranberries
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• Zest 1 lemon (2 tsp grated rind)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 packets stevia (I used Agave Nectar instead)

PORK

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp safflower oil
• 1 lb pork tenderloin

INSTRUCTIONS:


ONE: Preheat oven to 425.  Prepare relish: Combine all relish ingredients in a small bowl and set aside to allow flavors to meld.

TWO: Prepare pork: In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, cumin, cayenne, salt and black pepper.  Brush oil evenly over pork and sprinkle with cinnamon mixture.  Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat.  Brown pork for about 4 minutes, flip over and brown for about 3 more minutes.  Place pork on a nonstick baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until barely pink in the center.

THREE: Place pork on cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes before thinly slicing.  Serve with relish on top of pork.

Nutrients per serving (3 oz pork and 1/3 cup relish): Calories: 232, Total Fat: 6 g, Carbs: 19 g, Fiber: 6 g, Sugars: 8 g, Protein: 26 g, Sodium: 195 mg, Cholesterol: 73 mg