Wow, is this ever tasty! A great example of how healthy food definitely does NOT need to be boring or taste like sawdust. And you get a pretty big plate of food for under 600 calories! High fiber, low fat; if you’re watching your sodium, you could easily decrease the salt. Once you’ve done a little chopping, it comes together pretty fast, too. One spice mixture is used as both a rub for the pork and seasoning for the bulgur.
It’s helpful to do all the chopping before starting to cook, as the bulgur & pork require similar cook times. You may have noticed that the title says bulgur, but the ingredient photo shows freekeh. That’s because I doubt most people have any freekeh in the cupboard. Even my spelling autocorrect had never heard of it. I like it, but not enough to grant it permanent cupboard space, so I’m trying to use it up. Next time I make this, I’ll be using bulgur.
You’ll find a printer-friendly version of the recipe at the bottom of this page.
Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin (about 1-1½ pounds)
1½ tsp ground coriander
1½ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup carrots, chopped (about 1 medium carrot)
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup diced fresh tomato
4 stems Swiss chard
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup water
½ cup bulgur
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
2 tsp lemon juice
Preparation:
1.) Chop the onion & carrots, mince the garlic, & dice the tomatoes. Set aside. Trim & chop the chard, including the stems. Set aside.
2.) Remove pork from fridge about 15 minutes before grilling. Trim fat & silvery membrane from the pork. Preheat grill on medium-high.
3.) Combine next 8 ingredients (coriander through cinnamon) in a small bowl. Set aside 2 tsp of the mixture; rub the rest all over the pork.
4.) Turn grill down to medium. Lightly oil the grill immediately before adding the pork. Grill for 10-15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so, until center reaches 145°F. It should be a bit pink in the center.
5.) Heat oil in a medium saucepan on medium-high. Add the onions; cook just until they start to become translucent, stirring frequently.
6.) Add the garlic and reserved spice mixture; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly to be sure they don’t burn.
7.) Add the water, and bring to a boil. Add bulgur, carrots, and chard. Turn the heat down to a simmer & cover, cooking 10-12 minutes*. Bulgur should be a bit chewy. Stir in tomatoes, mint, and lemon juice. Remove from heat, & keep warm.
8.) When pork is finished, allow it to rest 5-10 minutes, then slice into ½-inch slices. Serve over bulgur salad.
* Check your bulgur package – if the directions are different, follow those instead for the cook time.
Grilled Moroccan Style Pork Tenderloin With Warm Bulgur-Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
1 pork tenderloin (about 1-1½ pounds)
1½ tsp ground coriander
1½ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup carrots, chopped (about 1 medium carrot)
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup diced fresh tomato
4 stems Swiss chard
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup water
½ cup bulgur
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
2 tsp lemon juice
Directions
1.) Chop the onion & carrots, mince the garlic, & dice the tomatoes. Set aside. Trim & chop the chard, including the stems. Set aside.
2.) Remove pork from fridge about 15 minutes before grilling. Trim fat & silvery membrane from the pork. Preheat grill on medium-high.
3.) Combine next 8 ingredients (coriander through cinnamon) in a small bowl. Set aside 2 tsp of the mixture; rub the rest all over the pork.
4.) Turn grill down to medium. Lightly oil the grill immediately before adding the pork. Grill for 10-15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so, until center reaches 145°F. It should be a bit pink in the center.
5.) Heat oil in a medium saucepan on medium-high. Add the onions; cook just until they start to become translucent, stirring frequently.
6.) Add the garlic and reserved spice mixture; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly to be sure they don’t burn.
7.) Add the water, and bring to a boil. Add bulgur, carrots, and chard. Turn the heat down to a simmer & cover, cooking 10-12 minutes. (Check your bulgur package – if the directions are different, follow those instead for the cook time.)
Bulgur should be a bit chewy. Stir in tomatoes, mint, and lemon juice. Remove from heat, & keep warm.
8.) When pork is finished, allow it to rest 5-10 minutes, then slice into ½-inch slices. Serve over bulgur salad.
julienne.red 