Skillet Pork Chops with Sauteed Swiss Chard Dinner

Today's meals were Fabulous

Midmorning snack

Smoked Salmon on Cucumber Rounds

Lunch

Sirloin Burger w/ 2-oz melted reduced fat cheese, Dijon mustard and tomato on a bed of lettuce

½ c. Three-Bean Salad (equal amounts black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans with chopped red onion and tossed with dressing of your choice)

Mid-afternoon snack

Hummus with veggie dippers

Dinner

Skillet Pork Chops with Sautéed Swiss Chard

Red Leaf Lettuce Salad

Ranch Dressing

Biggest tip is about the swiss chard. Cut off the thickest portion of the stem (about an inch or so). Then Remove the leaf portion from the stem. Rough Chop the leaves and thin slice the rest of the stem and add them with the leaves when cooking. If you don't have swiss chard you can substitute spinach or kale.

In a medium bowl combine:

2 tsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves minced

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp dried rosemary crushed

salt and pepper

Coat 4 pork chops (6-8 oz ea) in this and let sit for 30 mins (I just put the pork chops in the same bowl and tossed them in the oil and left them in there - one less dish for the dishwasher)

Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over med-high heat. Add pork chops and cook for 4-5 per side or until just cooked through. Don't over cook. Transfer port to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Wipe out pan if their are any burnt bits. Add:

2 tsp of olive oil

heat over med-high heat

2 garlic cloves minced

til just fragrant

2 lbs swiss chard

(may need to add in batches)

Cook until leaves are wilted approx 3-4 mins. Season with salt pepper and squeeze of  lemon juice.

Serve Pork Chops with their juices and the chard on the side

Dessert

Lime Ricotta Cream

Per person, mix:

1/2 cup part-skim or low fat ricotta cheese

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 pkg granular sugar substitute

1 Lime zest and juice

(1 small lime will work for 3 - 4 servings.. fyi)

I use an electric mixer and usually will make multiple servings (even if I am the only one eating this LOL). I will beat this everything together for 3-5 mins and makes the ricotta lighter and less "grainy" feeling than just mixing it together with a spoon.

Chill for 2 hrs or longer will usually last for a couple of days.