Grilled Pork Chop with Steamed Vegetables and Mashed White Sweet Potatoes (Gluten-Free)

Sure, lots of the meals I make are variations on meals that traditionally contain gluten. However, I also make many that just happen to be gluten-free. Here's one of my favorites.

Grilled pork chops are an old stand-by. Cheap, easy to prepare, and delicious. I serve this version with steamed fresh broccoli and carrots, along with mashed white sweet potatoes. The result is a quick, delicious summertime meal that is easy on the budget and leaves plenty of calories for wine or a nice dessert.

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Ingredients:
3-4 Pork chops
12-16 broccoli or broccoli spears (3-4 per chop)
3-4 white sweet potatoes (cubed)
¼ cup butter
Splash of milk
Splash of Balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Place pork chops on a hot grill (475-500 degrees)
After 1 minute or so, rotate chop 90-degrees.
Making sure chop is well-seared, after 1 more minute or so, flip chop. Repeat the process, rotating the chop 90-degrees again after about 1 minute.

For thicker shops, use longer sear times.
When chop is done, remove to a plate and let rest five minutes.

White Sweet Potatoes and Carrots:
Just before the putting the chops on the grill, place sweet potatoes and carrots on separate sides of a large steamer pot with hot water.
While chops cook, steam sweet potatoes until soft enough to easily slide a fork though.
Remove carrots when tender, but firm.
Place carrots in a dish with a bit of butter, and cover.
Place in a large bowl. Do not rinse.

Broccoli:
While chops are resting, and before mashing sweet potatoes, place broccoli into steamer and cover.

Mash sweet potatoes.
Add butter and/or a splash of milk.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Place sweet potatoes on plates next to chops.
Remove broccoli when tender to fork.
Place on plates with chops.
Splash broccoli with aged balsamic vinegar.

Serves: 3-4 persons

Note: By 'white sweet potato," I do NOT mean the red-fleshed, orange-skinned tuber that Americans call a "Yam." I mean the white-fleshed, paler-skinned version that often appears alongside the at the market, both of which, according to botanists are actually sweet potatoes, not yams. Sweet potatoes are low-glycemic, which makes them ideal for diabetics. They also taste really good mashed with butter, salt and pepper.

And, yes, if you're feeling particularly potato-ish, you can use good old regular potatoes instead.