Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Relish and Brown Rice Pilaf

This meal was my next endeavor out of the Taste of Home Healthy Cooking magazine and was also a keeper! This photo doesn't look nearly as good as the one in the magazine, but at least it's not scary like my lasagna photo was! The relish is very unusual, not a combination I would ever have come up with on my own, but it was really delicious and packed with antioxidants from the dried cherries. Given my recent successes with this magazine, I think I'll try just one or two more recipes and if those are successes as well, I'll be subscribing for sure!

Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Relish

Pork Rub
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. each dried oregano, tarragon, and crushed dried rosemary (I did not have tarragon and don't particularly care for it, so I substituted dried thyme instead)
2 pork tenderloins (1 lb. each), trimmed

Relish
1 large red onion, sliced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. dried cherries
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. crushed dried rosemary

1. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder and herbs; rub over pork. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. For relish, in a large saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add sugar; cook and stir over medium heat for 10 minutes or until onion is browned. Add the cherries, vinegar, and rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

3. Place pork on a rack in a shallow roasting pan lined with foil. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 - 30* minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with relish.

Nutrition Facts: 3 oz. cooked pork with 2 Tbsp. relish equals 217 calories, 7 g fat, 63 mg cholesterol, 46 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 23 g protein.

*I first took the pork out after 25 minutes and my meat thermometer only read 120 degrees. So I put it back in for another 5 minutes, checked it and it was only 130 degrees. I put it in for another 8 minutes two more times and the thermometer never got above 140 degrees, but the meat was clearly done. So I don't know if my thermometer was broken or my tenderloins were thicker than usual or what, but if you make this, plan on possibly needing to cook it longer than 30 minutes.

Brown Rice Pilaf
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/4 c. uncooked brown rice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c. water
1 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper

In a large saucepan, saute onion and green pepper in oil until tender. Add rice and garlic; cook and stir for 3 - 4 minutes or until rice is lightly browned. Add the water, broth, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 35 - 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Fluff with a fork.

Nutrition Facts: 3/4 c. equals 181 calories, 3 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 99 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein.