The first thing you’re gonna think when you put this on the table is, “No way that’s for only two people!” Sure, if you want to split it between three people, be my guest. But two of you can lick the plate clean for only 500 calories apiece, and a whopping 21 grams of fiber ensures you won’t be hungry an hour after dinner. Using fresh, whole ingredients, you’ll have a delicious, satisfying low-fat & low-sodium meal that’s perfect for that special someone. The flavors are complex enough for your foodie friends and traditional enough for the somewhat less adventurous. Who said clean eating can’t be spectacularly yummy?

You’ll find a printer-friendly version of the recipe, which I’ve adapted from Cooking Light, at the bottom of this page.

Ingredients:

¾ cup dried beans such as white kidney beans or flageolets (I used Rancho Gordo’s Mayocoba), or 1½ cups cooked white beans

½ small onion

4 large garlic cloves

1 large tomato, or a few small ones

2 – 3 tsp fresh rosemary leaves

2 – 3 tsp fresh sage leaves

½ tsp fennel seeds

¾ tsp Penzeys or Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided

¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

If you’re using canned beans, skip Steps 1, 2, and 3. Drain and rinse the beans before use, and substitute water or vegetable or chicken broth for the bean broth.

1.) Place beans in a saucepan. Add water to cover the beans by at least two inches. Allow the pan to sit at room temperature overnight.

 

 

2.) About an hour and a half before dinner time, check to make sure the water still covers the beans. They will have swollen quite a bit.

 

3.) Move the pan to the stove, and bring to a boil. Boil vigorously for ten minutes, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 30 – 45 minutes, or until beans are fork tender. Drain the beans, but don’t discard the liquid. Set both aside.

 

 

4.) While beans cook, prepare the rest of the ingredients, setting each aside until it’s needed. Chop the onion; you’ll need ½ cup here, and can save the rest for another use. Chop the tomato for about 1 cup. Peel the garlic cloves, and cut into thin slices. Chop the rosemary, sage, and parsley, keeping them all separate for now. Crush the fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have one, you can use a rolling pin or meat mallet. They don’t have to crumble; just crush them enough to release the flavor.

 

 

5.) Preheat the oven to 425℉. In a small prep bowl, mix the rosemary, fennel, ½ tsp of the salt, and ½ tsp of the pepper.

 

 

6.) Trim the silvery membrane and any extra fat from the pork. Rub the spice mixture on all sides of the pork.

 

 

7.) Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork, browning on all sides but not cooking through (about 5 minutes).

 

 

8.) Remove the pork; set aside on a plate. Add the chopped onion and the garlic to the pan. Cook about two minutes, stirring frequently, until onions start to soften and become slightly translucent.

 

 

9.) Add the tomatoes, rosemary, and sage to the pan. Cook briefly, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the reserved beans, along with 1 cup of the reserved bean broth, the remaining ¼ teaspoons of salt and pepper, and the crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil.

 

 

10.) Return the pork to the pan, and place pan in the oven. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer positioned in the thickest part of the meat registers 140°.

 

 

11.) Remove the pork from the pan, and let it rest for 5 minutes while you finish the beans. Return the pan to the stovetop. Remember that the handles are still hot from the oven! Heat the pan over medium heat, cooking until slightly thickened (about 2 minutes).

 

 

12.) Slice the pork about ½” thick. Serve with bean mixture, sprinkled with parsley.