In the past few months I’ve been introducing more pork into our diet. Pork can be very juicy and tasty too. It’s another meat you can add a lot of flavour too. In recent years pork, especially bacon and sausages, have had bad press. Although, if you eat to much pork it can be bad for you but it’s actually packed with goodness.
Therefore I thought I would dispel a few myths and offer you my view on pork. Pork is high is many vitamins and minerals including phosphorus, selenium, and thiamine. It’s one of the few foods that contains selenium. Selenium can help to protect against infection and it also could help to regulate hormones produced by the thyroid.
Hormone health is important to help balance the body. In my opinion eating a wide variety of foods is key to helping the body to stay healthy. As pork is packed with goodness it’s a meat we like to eat every two weeks or so. For me, cooking a meal I know my little family and I will enjoy is paramount. It’s also knowing that it’s got health benefits is even better. Plus this was a super tasty meal too and one dish we will be eating again very soon.
Do you have a favourite pork meal and if so, what is it? Let me know in the comments below and please don’t forget to like and follow me.
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Grater
- Large saucepan or frying pan
- Large saucepan for the pasta
- Stirring spoon
- Teaspoon
- Colander
- Heat proof dish
Ingredients
- Mince pork x 500g
- Onion x 1
- Garlic x 2 cloves
- Courgette x 1
- Red pepper x 1
- Tomatoes x 2 400g tins
- Tomato puree x 2 tbsp
- Tamari or soya sauce x 2 tbsp
- Dried mixed herbs x 2 tsp
- Fresh basil x 1 handful
- Cream cheese x 100g
- Pasta x 300g
- Strong cheddar cheese or parmesan x 150g
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C or gas mark 5.
- Put the pasta into a large saucepan of boiling water and cook as per the packet instructions.
- Once the pasta is cooked pour through the colander and set to one side.
- Peel and chop the onion and the garlic.
- Then peel and grate the courgette.
- Slice and dice the red pepper into small pieces and discard of the seeds and green stalks.
- Put a large pan on a high heat and add oil to the base of the pan.
- When the pan starts to smoke slightly add in the pork.
- Fry until it turns pink and then add in the onions.
- Now fry until they start to soften with the pork.
- It should take around 3 – 5 minutes.
- Next add in the garlic and fry for a further few minutes.
- Now add in the pepper and courgette.
- Continue to fry these ingredients for a further five minutes or so.
- Pour over the tomatoes and bring all the ingredients to the boil.
- Add in the tomato puree and tamari.
- Add in the cream cheese and stir all these ingredients together.
- Sprinkle over the dried mixed herbs and the basil.
- Add salt and pepper to your taste.
- Stir all these ingredients together.
- Now add in the pasta and stir everything until the pasta is covered in the sauce.
- Grate the cheddar or parmesan cheese.
- Pour all of these ingredients into a heat proof dish and sprinkle over the cheese on top.
- Put into the oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until the cheese turns golden brown.
- When the cheese is olden brown remove from the oven.
- Then serve and enjoy.
Pork and Pasta Bake was a big hit in our house. My son Ted is 9 and used to eat school dinners a lot. While we were eating this dish he told me the sauce I had made was like the one the ate at school. Ted is a slightly fussy eater so for him to like a meal is a huge result for me. I was very pleased when he compared my food to his school dinners. Ted loves his school dinners so this was a compliment. The ingredients in this dish, apart from the pasta, are freezable so you could make a big batch and freeze it for another occasion. However you decide to eat this dish, as always, please enjoy. Thank you xxx
Googies Kitchen Life 