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Mole Pork Tenderloin with Zucchini and Refried Black Beans
20 min prep time
25 min cook time
6servings
Recipe by
Lara Rondinelli Hamilton, RD, LDN, CDE and Jennifer Bucko Lamplough
Source
The Diabetes Cookbook
Photo by
Peter Papoulakos
How to Make Mole Pork Tenderloin with Zucchini and Refried Black Beans
This dish is a great example of the diabetes plate method at work - lean protein (pork tenderloin), starchy beans and low-carb zucchini. If you want to add some dairy, garnish the pork tenderloin with plain, nonfat Greek yogurt.
20 min prep time
25 min cook time
6servings
3 oz. pork + 1/4 cup black beans + 1/2 cup zucchini
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Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mole sauce, orange zest, orange juice, garlic, and water. Coat an oven-safe sauté pan with cooking spray over medium-high heat.
- Sear the pork tenderloin until brown on all sides. Pour the mole sauce over the pork and cover completely with sauce. Put the pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, turning the pork every 5 minutes.
- While the pork is roasting, add the olive oil to a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and black beans, and sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions are softened.
- Add the bean mixture and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the beans to the pan and sauté until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
- Add the cooking spray to another medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the zucchini begins to soften. Add the chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and lime juice. Sauté 2 more minutes.
- Let the pork tenderloin rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice the pork into 18 slices and toss the pieces in any remaining mole sauce.
- Build your plate with three slices of pork tenderloin (equaling about 3 oz.), 1/4 cup black beans, and 1/2 cup zucchini.
Nutrition facts
6 Servings
-
Serving Size
3 oz. pork + 1/4 cup black beans + 1/2 cup zucchini
- Amount per serving Calories 230
-
Total Fat
5g
- Saturated Fat 1.4g
- Trans Fats 0g
- Cholesterol 65mg
- Sodium 210mg
-
Total Carbohydrate
18g
- Dietary Fiber 5g
- Total Sugars 5g
- Protein 29g
- Potassium 860mg
- Phosphorous 320mg
Ingredients
garlic (minced or grated)
2 clove
small orange (zested and juiced (1 Tbsp. zest, 1/4 cup juice))
1
prepared mole sauce
1 tbsp
water
1/4 cup
nonstick cooking spray
1
pork tenderloin (trimmed of all visible fat)
1 1/4 lbs
olive oil
1 tsp
small onion (diced)
1
garlic (chopped)
1 clove
black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (15.5-oz) can
water
1/4 cup
medium zucchini (diced (about 4 cups))
3
chili powder
1/2 tsp
garlic powder
1/2 tsp
cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp
black pepper
1/4 tsp
salt
1/4 tsp
lime (juiced (1/4 cup juice))
1
Reviews & Ratings
Recommended
Recommended
It takes a lot of work in the kitchen, but worth the meal. I will make it again.
I would recommend making a homemade mole rather than store bought as the store bought contains a lot of preservatives and unhealthy ingredients. However, homemade mole is a lot of work as well and should be prepared ahead of time. Even using the store bought, the flavor of the mole with the added ingredients was very delicious. The bean mixture added a depth while the zucchini was comparable to a salsa.
If you are like me, I do not care for rare tenderloin. As such, follow the instructions and then place a piece of foil on the top, increase the temperature to 425 degrees and cook an additional 15 minutes to insure inside meat temp is at 165 degrees. It was not even close using the recipe.
If you are not watching calories or can spare the additional fat exchanges, add a little cheddar cheese or sour cream (greek yogurt) on top to crown it off.