Apple-a-day stuffed pork chops

Staying active and being outdoors in crisp, fall weather can lead to big dinner time appetites. Here's a hearty main dish that uses a seasonal favorite—apples—in stuffing for pork chops. Serve with roasted fall vegetables like potatoes, beets and parsnips or serve a healthy whole grain side dish with lentils, wild rice or quinoa. For extra fiber, leave the skins on the apples.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1/3 cup chopped onion
4 small apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground sage
4  5-ounce pork chops (about ½- to 1-inch thick)
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

1. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium heat. Add onion and apple. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add vinegar, cloves and sage. Cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and place in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a baking dish lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut a large pocket into each pork chop. Stuff the pork chops with the cooled apple mixture and secure with toothpicks.
4. In a medium skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Place stuffed pork chops in the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer pork chops to the greased baking dish. Spread any leftover apple stuffing over the pork chops. Cover the baking dish with foil.
5. Bake for 40 minutes or until a cooking thermometer inserted into the center of a pork chop reaches 150 F. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until the apple mixture is golden-brown around the edges. Serve warm.

Makes 4 servings