Baked Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup gluten-free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup brown rice couscous
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt
• 3 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup gluten-free dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• 4 thick-cut boneless, pork loin chops (6 oz. each, about 1 inch thick)
• 1/2 tsp. rubbed sage

Makes 4 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the broth, couscous, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the couscous is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 8-10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil, parsley, and apricots. Fluff with a fork, then transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.
3.  Place the pork on a work surface and, using a sharp paring knife, cut horizontally through the thickest part of each chop to make a deep pocket about 2 inches long (do not cut all the way through). Using a spoon, stuff each chop with one-fourth of the couscous mixture.
4. Sprinkle both sides of the chops with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the sage. Rub with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Place the chops on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the chops over and bake until cooked through but slightly pink, about 5 minutes longer.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts. stuffed, 9 pts. unstuffed with couscous as a side dish

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Gluten Solutions Cookbook. This dish takes about 40 minutes to make and it's worth the time and effort. Stuffed pork chops are easy to make but if you're not up to stuffing the chops, make the couscous and serve it as a side dish and your meal will taste just as good. Don't forget that unstuffed pork chops will cook in a shorter amount of time. The apricots cooked and mixed in with the couscous served alongside the pork chops. If you don't want to bake the pork chops and serve the couscous as a side dish, just grill or broil the pork chops and your meal will be just as tasty.