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Dietitians Dish – May 29, 2023

Grill Up a Quick Meal!

The intense heat from grilling makes it easy to cook a great meal quickly. That is especially true if you cut food into smaller pieces before cooking. That’s where kabobs come in as a great meal option. When trying to cook meat more quickly, cut it into smaller pieces and use a skewer. Smaller pieces cook more evenly and faster than a whole piece of meat. One meat that you might not think of cutting up before cooking is pork tenderloin!

As lean as skinless chicken breast, pork tenderloin meets the “extra lean” criteria for the American Heart Association (AHA) Heart Checkmark. This means it contains less than 5 grams of fat, 2 grams or less of saturated fat, and 480 milligrams or less of sodium per label serving. Pork is a health-forward choice containing an excellent source of Protein, Niacin, Thiamin, Zinc, Riboflavin, and Vitamins B6 & B12. Add a variety of colorful vegetables to pork tenderloin and you have a health-forward meal that will fuel any summertime activity!

Pork Tenderloin and Veggie Kabobs

Pork Tenderloin and Veggie Kabobs

  • 12 (8-inch) wooden skewers
  • 2 Tbsps. fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tbsps. olive oil
  • 2 tsps. lime zest
  • 1-1/2 tsps. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 small pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each), cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 orange and/or red bell peppers, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 small red onion, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces

Directions:

  • Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat; soak skewers in water 20 minutes. In medium bowl, whisk lime juice, oil, lime zest, chili powder, salt and black pepper; add pork and toss.
  • Alternately thread pork, bell peppers and onion onto skewers. Place skewers on hot grill rack; cover and cook 13 minutes or until internal temperature of pork reaches 145°, turning once.
  • Optional: For a more complete meal, serve over a salad mix with slices of avocado and your favorite dressing.