Sage-Rubbed Pork chops with Warm Apple Slaw

As we enter into this new year my hubby and I are even more interested in trying new recipes. We admittedly don't stray far from turkey and chicken when it comes to meat so these pork chops are something new for us. Searing them quickly and then finishing them off with the flavorful vegetables made them tasty and juicy. Tart green apple, carrot, sage and cabbage are the perfect accompaniments for pork. To make this recipe even easier and quicker, you can use a bag of pre- shredded carrots and cabbage instead of the whole cabbage and carrots. You can definitely substitute some chicken breasts for the pork in this recipe if you prefer and still get a tasty result.

Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:

For the Chops
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
1 large clove garlic, minced (~1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
four 3/4 inch bone-in pork loin chops, with fat trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil

For the Slaw
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, cut in half, then thinly slice into half moons
1 large Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1 head green cabbage, coarsely chopped or bag of pre-chopped (about 9 cups)
3 large carrots, coarsely shredded or bag of pre-shredded (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Low-Sodium chicken broth

Directions:
1. To make the chops, combine the sage, garlic, salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl. Rub this mixture all over the pork chops and let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until pretty hot. You can test by flicking a few tiny drops of water on the pan to see if they dance. Add the chops and brown well on both sides, 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a plate (they will not be fully cooked yet)

3. To make the slaw, carefully wipe out the pan. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions, apple, bell pepper and sage. Cook, stirring, until softened and golden, 4-5 minutes.  Add the cabbage, carrots, vinegar and salt and continue cooking until the cabbage and carrots begin to soften ~5 minutes.

4.Add the broth to the vegetables and return the pork chops to the pan, burying them in the vegetable mixture. Cover and cook just until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 155-160'F when tested with an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, about 5-7 minutes longer. Serve your pork chops on a bed of the warm slaw and drizzle some of the pan juices on top.  We cut this recipe in half and made two chops for our family of two adults and two little foodies.

Recipe courtesy of: "The Food You Crave" by Ellie Krieger