Flavor Friday

I am not sure if this meal tasted so good because it was shared with dear friends, or if it was just freakin awesome.....but seriously. If you have not put sweet potatoes in the oven for 25 minutes at 425 degrees...you are missing out!!

Cooking Light often puts together a suggested menu--so I went with their suggestion this week and the result was a super delicious result....

Spiced Chops with Mango-Mint Salsa
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Sauteed Baby Spinach

Game Plan
1. While oven preheats: cut potatoes, and coat with spice mixture.
2. While potatoes bake: prepare salsa, cook pork, saute spinach.

Spiced Chops with Mango-Mint Salsa
Allspice and mango bring Caribbean flair to this dish. The salsa, redolent of mint, also packs a bit of heat thanks to a dusting of crushed red pepper. A Jamaican beer, such as Red Stripe, would complement this meal.

TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES

Flavor Tip: To tweak the taste of the salsa, use lime juice and rind instead of lemon. Or substitute chopped papaya for the mango, or if you prefer; look for ripe, golden-yellow papaya that yields slightly to finger pressure.

1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 (4oz) boneless center cut loin pork chops, trimmed
cooking spray
1 1/2 cups finely chopped peeled mango
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over pork.
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done.
3. Combine mango and remaining 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve with pork. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and about 1/3 cup salsa)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Cut 2 (8oz) peeled sweet potatoes in half lengthwise; cut each half lengthwise into 6 wedges. Combine sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper in a bowl; toss gently to coat. Place wedges on a baking sheet, baking at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or till tender.

When I made these, it seemed like 25 minutes was just right--although some of the pieces were a little brown.