Herby, the Love Chop

A combination of fresh herbs and garlic adds a robust flavor to this low-fat marinade for grilled pork chops. The liquid in the marinade is simply water and a little olive oil for flavor.

When choosing pork chops, look for the word “loin” in the name. These are the leanest. Trim off any excess fat before cooking. Spray the chops with cooking spray to prevent sticking and help in browning during grilling.

Give the chops a squeeze of fresh lime and serve them with steamed brown rice and nonfat yogurt.

Herb-Grilled Pork Chops With Lime

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus 1 hour marinating

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1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped

1 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, chopped

1/2 cup loosely packed oregano leaves, chopped

1/4 cup minced green onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt, to taste

4 thin sirloin rib chops (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Nonstick cooking spray

Lime slices, for garnish

Toss together the cilantro, parsley and oregano in a large glass bowl. Stir in the onion, garlic, vinegar, water, olive oil and salt to taste.

Add the pork chops and toss to coat. Cover and marinate them in the refrigerator about 1 hour.

Heat the grill or a grill pan.

Remove the pork chops from the marinade and lightly spray them with cooking spray. Grill the chops over hot coals or on a stove-top grill pan until the chops are cooked to medium and slightly pink in the center (about 160 degrees on a meat thermometer), 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve with slices of fresh lime.

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4 servings. Each serving: 294 calories; 172 mg sodium; 96 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 34 grams protein; 2.96 grams fiber.