Pork Chops with Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Puree

PREP 15 minutes
COOK TIME 1 hour 15 minutes
SERVES 4

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Functional Foods Highlight

Butternut Squash: Butternut squash are full of fiber, vitamins A, C, E, and B, and contains important minerals like magnesium and zinc. This delicious veggie supports a healthy gut and immune system making it perfect for fighting the winter cold and flu system.

Sweet Potato:

Sweet potatoes are full of fiber. They are rich in beta-carotene, the antioxidant responsible for their beautiful orange color. Beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A in our bodies – improving eye health and supporting our immune system and gut health

Cooking pork chops can sometimes be intimidating because you can easily overcook them and there is nothing worse than overcooked pork..or any meat really. This recipe gives you a quick and easy way to prepare four, perfectly cooked, pork chops at a time. The key is in the cooking method: first you sear in a very very hot pan and then you finish off in the oven. The sear creates a crust that locks the juices (aka moisture) in and the oven allows for the chops to finish cooking evenly. When it comes to most meat recipes I like buying meat with the bone-in, this also helps with keeping your meat nice and moist! I also highly recommend purchasing a meat thermometer, they most likely sell them at your local supermarket for a very good price and you will end up using it so much more than you think.

Food Farmacy

4 thick bone-in pork chops
1 small butternut squash
1 sweet potato
1 cup cashew milk (regular milk/ other nut milks work too)
olive oil
salt + pepper
seasoning of your choice for pork chops

Directions

For Butternut Squash Puree:

Preheat oven to 375 °F
Peel and cut butternut squash and sweet potato into 1 inch cubes (be sure to remove seeds from squash)
On a lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt + pepper, bake until cooked all the way through, about an hour
Transfer squash and sweet potato to a blender and pour in 1/2 cup of your desired milk
Blend until smooth adding more liquid as you go until you reach your desired consistency

For Pork Chops:

Place large skillet in oven and preheat to 400°F
Using a paper towel pat pork chops dry, rub both sides with olive oil and season both sides with salt + pepper or your favorite spice blend
Once oven is preheated, carefully take out skillet (using oven mitts) and place over medium/high heat on the stove
Evenly distribute pork chops in skillet and cook for about 4 minutes on one side to get a nice crust
Flip chops and place in oven for about 5-10 minutes depending on thickness (check temperature, using a meat thermometer, after 5 minutes to be sure not to overcook) cook until internal temperature reaches 145 °F
Remove pork chops from skillet and let rest for 5 minutes before serving

From the Chef:

Apple goes exceptionally well with pork. Add another depth of flavor to this dish by adding apple to the puree. Peel and cut an apple into large chunks and roast with sweet potato and butternut squash, follow the recipe to finish the puree!

From the Doctor:

If you want to try a non-starchy vegetable alternative to the butternut squash and sweet potato puree, try substituting it with cauliflower. Simply steam a head of cauliflower or bag of cauliflower rice and add 1/2 cup milk or milk alternative and blend together. Season to taste.

Sources

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Pork Chops with Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Puree PREP 15 minutes COOK TIME SERVES 4 Food Farmacy 4 thick bone-in pork chops 1 small butternut squash 1 sweet potato 1 cup cashew milk (regular milk/ other nut milks work too) olive oil salt + pepper seasoning of your choice for pork chops	Cooking pork chops can sometimes be intimidating because you can easily overcook them and there is nothing worse than overcooked pork..or any meat really. This recipe gives you a quick and easy way to prepare four, perfectly cooked, pork chops at a time. The key is in the cooking method: first you sear in a very very hot pan and then you finish off in the oven. The sear creates a crust that locks the juices (aka moisture) in and the oven allows for the chops to finish cooking evenly. When it comes to most meat recipes I like buying meat with the bone-in, this also helps with keeping your meat nice and moist! I also highly recommend purchasing a meat thermometer, they most likely sell them at your local supermarket for a very good price and you will end up using it so much more than you think.
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 °F. Peel and cut butternut squash and sweet potato into 1 inch cubes (be sure to remove seeds from squash). On a lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt + pepper, bake until cooked all the way through, about an hour Transfer squash and sweet potato to a blender and pour in 1/2 cup of your desired milk Blend until smooth adding more liquid as you go until you reach your desired consistency Place large skillet in oven and preheat to 400°F Using a paper towel pat pork chops dry, rub both sides with olive oil and season both sides with salt + pepper or your favorite spice blend Once oven is preheated, carefully take out skillet (using oven mitts) and place over medium/high heat on the stove Evenly distribute pork chops in skillet and cook for about 4 minutes on one side to get a nice crust	Flip chops and place in oven for about 5-10 minutes depending on thickness (check temperature, using a meat thermometer, after 5 minutes to be sure not to overcook) cook until internal temperature reaches 145 °F Remove pork chops from skillet and let rest for 5 minutes before serving