Celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

By: Jacqueline Gomes, RDN, MBA

Cinco de Mayo is the perfect excuse to prepare some fun foods to share at home with friends and family! Mexican cuisine imparts lots of fresh flavors with ingredients like cilantro, avocado, mango, fresh corn, jalapenos and fish.

Here are some tips to keep your dishes light and tasty!

• Use corn tortillas over flour tortillas to save calories and get a boost of whole grain.
• Fresh avocados can go from tacos, to dip and salads for a dose of heart healthy fats.
• Did you know that mango is one of the world’s most popular fruits! And for good reason, it’s delicious and easily pairs with sweet or savory dishes.
• Black beans are one of the healthiest and most economical sources of protein in the store. Enjoy them weekly to increase your intake of fiber, antioxidants and plant-based protein.
• Enjoy fresh salsa over lean grilled meats like pork loin chops, chicken and fish!

Mexican Style Pork Chops

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Makes: 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 4 Center Cut Pork Loin chops, bone-in
• Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
• ⅛ teaspoon ground oregano
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• ¼ onion diced
• 3 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely minced
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

1. Pat dry pork chops with paper towel. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sear pork chops for about 4-5 minutes on each side.
3. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
4. Add the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno pepper.
5. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the water and mix to combine.
6. Return the pork chops to the skillet. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until pork is fully cooked to internal temperature of 145 to 160 degrees F.