Stacey Hawkins, the Queen of Lean and Green Recipes makes Pork Tenderloins and Mushrooms. This low-carb recipe is an Optavia Recipe, Optavia 5 and 1 recipe and complies with most low carb diets. Eat great and lose the weight!
Pork Tenderloins and Mushrooms
Category
Main Dishes
Cuisine
American
Servings
4
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Tender, juicy pork tenderloin is a favorite of mine to cook because it's so versatile. This recipe for Pork Tenderloin and Mushrooms shows off the delicate flavor of the pork with the earthy, warm and delicious paring of portobello mushrooms and of course, our favorite seasonings make it POP.
I'll confess, pork was NOT a favorite of mine growing up. Why? Because when it hit the plate, it actually sounded like a hockey puck and not a tender, juicy piece of meat. Now, I don't blame the cook- "old-skool" methods told us that pork needed to be pretty much dried out and overcooked to be safe to eat.
The rules have changed and the National Pork Board along with the FDA have changed the guidelines and proven that pork is safe (and so delicious!) to eat at a more moderately cooked temperature. Woohoo!
We take total advantage of that in this recipe and use the dual cooking method of pan-sear combined with finishing in the oven (or the grill!) to create tender, juicy morsels in just a matter of minutes. The really cool thing about this recipe is that you can also do the exact same preparation with beef tenderloin or even chicken breast (cooking times may vary though, just saying.)
Mix and match recipes are the best because they're foolproof. You can even mix up the seasonings to give you different flavor variations as well. (Hint- if you need some help mixing and matching flavors, check out this chart).
To start, you season the meat with some basics (salt, pepper, etc) like Dash of Desperation seasoning. This gives the meat a nice crust when you sear it and preps it for flavor. The seasonings also give the pan something to "stick" to other than the meat and allow it to brown and bring out all that incredible flavor.
The meat will be soooo juicy, and yet it has this great crust full of flavor on the outside. That's the beauty of the two step method. The high heat of the sear makes the crust and the slow oven finish keeps it super juicy.
The end result speaks for itself! This is one fabulous weeknight meal you'll be proud to serve, and even happier to eat.
Happy Cooking!
Stacey
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
-
1 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin (or beef tenderloin, or chicken breasts)
- 6 cups portobello mushroom caps, cut into chunks
-
1 teaspoons Stacey Hawkins Dash of Desperation Seasoning
- 1/2 C low sodium chicken broth
-
4 T light cream cheese
-
1 Tablespoon Stacey Hawkins Garlic Gusto
-
or
-
- fresh parsley for garnish if desired
Directions
Preheat oven (or outdoor BBQ Grill) to 400° F.
- Season the tenderloin on both sides with Dash of Desperation Seasoning
- Place a cast iron skillet (or oven-safe pan) on the stove over high heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- When the pan is good and hot, place the tenderloins in the center, but try not to let them touch each other.
- Cook tenderloin for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned.
- Remove the pork from the pan and set aside.
Leaving the pan on the heat, add the chicken broth, cream cheese garlic seasoning and mushrooms. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook for just 1 minute.
Add the pork tenderloin back to the pan and place in the oven for 15-25 minutes until pork is fully cooked (larger pieces will take a bit longer). Verify temp with meat thermometer. Pork should be 145° F to be slightly pink, 160° F for medium. Take it out at desired temp and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing. Note- If pork is cooked more than these recommended temperatures, it will be very dry and overdone.
- Slice the pork and serve with the mushrooms and sauce. Serve hot with your favorite side dish.
Chef's Notes & More
Serving Size 5 oz. pork with 1 C mushrooms.
1 - Lean
1 - Green
3 - Condiments
0 - Healthy Fat
