Pork Meatballs ... with lemon and fennel

Many family members love meatballs, and they can make a popular weekend or weekday meal. How about trying these pork meatballs with the added zest of lemon and fennel. Delicious, especially when served with toasted pine nuts and vibrant kale, (although some may prefer spinach). It makes for a vitamin C-rich dish ...

Ingredients
Serves Four
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 x 400g cans plum tomatoes
1 lemon zested and cut into wedges
500g pork mince
2 tsp fennel seeds
250g kale * (see alternative below)
25g pine nuts, toasted

To serve optional:

lower carb mashed swede

Method:

1. In a medium pan, heat 1 tbsp. of the oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Tip in the tomatoes with a splash of water, increase the heat and allow to bubble for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the lemon zest, mince, fennel seeds and a good pinch of seasoning. Mix well, then shape into walnut-sized balls.

3. Heat the remaining oil in a lidded frying pan over a medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown for 5 minutes, then pour the tomato sauce into the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the kale, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes more until wilted. Season to taste, and scatter over the pine nuts. Serve with the lemon wedges, for squeezing over.

Nutritional Information:
per serving
Fat 23g Protein 31g Carbs 16g

*spinach could be substituted for kale if preferred 

Optional Serves:

lower carb mashed swede/rutabaga - see recipe and details here 

or low carb seedy bread - see recipe here

From an original recipe here

Did you know - some health benefits of pine nuts

They are one of the calorie-rich edible nuts. 100 g of dry kernels provide 673 calories. Additionally, they comprise of numerous health promoting phytochemicals, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals.

Their high caloric content chiefly comes from fats. Indeed, the nuts are especially rich in monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid (18:1 undifferentiated fat) that helps to lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increases HDL or "good cholesterol" in the blood.

Pine or cedar nuts contain essential fatty acid (the omega-6 fat), pinolenic acid. Recent research has shown its potential use in weight loss by curbing appetite.

Pines are an excellent source of vitamin-E. Vitamin-E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucosa and skin by protecting it from harmful free oxygen radicals.

Furthermore, pines are one of gluten-free tree nuts, and therefore, are a popular ingredient in the preparation of gluten-free food formulas. Such formula preparations can be a healthy alternative in people with wheat food allergy and celiac disease.

Pine nuts are an excellent source of the B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) and folates.

Furthermore, pine nuts contain healthy amounts of essential minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium.

We bring a variety of recipes ideas to this blog, but please note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan