Roasted Pork Loin With Spinach, Peppers, and Mushrooms

This recipe looks elegant and tastes decadent, but it is surprisingly simple to prepare. You can vary the stuffing vegetables with any of your plan-friendly favorites. Pork tenderloin is an excellent source of lean protein - a single 4-ounce portion contains 28 grams of protein and only 4 grams of fat. For many years pork held a bad rep in the weight loss world, but the truth is that pork tenderloin is actually a lean source of good protein. Bonsu: it contains nutrients like selenium, vitamin B-1, and choline.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 3 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 3 oz. diced red bell pepper
• 10 oz. baby spinach
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 1 pound of center-cut boneless pork loin roast, butterflied

Method:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add mushrooms and peppers, cook, stirring, until they start to brown and release their liquid, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add spinach and cook until just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
5. Remove from heat and let cool.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
7. Season pork all over with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
8. Spread cooled spinach-mushroom mixture evenly over pork, leaving a border around the edges.
9. Roll up (jellyroll style or fold in half like a book) and tie pork at 1-inch intervals with kitchen twine.
10. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
11. Add pork, seam side down, and brown for 3 to 4 minutes, then brown the remaining sides and ends.
12. Transfer pork to a roasting pan and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part reads 150°F, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
13. Let pork rest for 10 minutes, then cut into thick slices and serve.

Serve with roasted sweet potatoes or with our Cauliflower Potato Mash recipe.

Makes 4 servings | One serving replaces: 1 protein, 4 oz. vegetables

Variations:

• If you like more of a stuffing, add approx 200 calories worth of Panko Bread crumbs to the mixture. *This addition will replace a carbohydrate serving
• For extra tender pork, pound thin before stuffing.