11-Month Pork: An Awesome Recipe

Do you love food so much, just SO much? Yes well as part of fitnessing, when you love food so much, it is much easier to eat different foods than to eat no foods. Thus, healthy recipes.

Are you terrible at cooking, just SO terrible? Yes well as part of eating healthy recipes, you have to first make them. So, don’t be scared, we’re going to do this together, and it. will. be. fun.

This first recipe was made on an 11-montherversary, and it has been referred to as 11-month pork ever since, so 11-month pork it shall remain (you can also use chicken for this, and just reduce the cooking temp to 350; 11-month chicken is just as good). If you want to call it Pineapple-Walnut Pork or Walnut-Salsa Pork, go ahead, but don’t expect me to understand what you’re talking about.

STUFF YOU NEED

• 1 cup crushed walnuts
• 4 boneless pork chops, 1″ thick (about 4oz each)
• honey mustard
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/3 red onion
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 pineapple (do you hate pineapple? use 1 mango.)
• sea salt
• 1 lime

WHAT TO DO WITH STUFF

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Trim all of the fat off the pork, even though it is very gross to touch raw meat with your hands. The first 3 – 5 minutes of this recipe, expect to hate it.

Coat both sides of the pork with honey mustard and crushed walnuts.

LIKE THIS!

Place the pork chops in a pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray (I use Pam olive oil spray, because I am Italian).  This pan was a little small, but sometimes you’ve just gotta deal. Sprinkle like a pinch of sea salt on each one.

Cover the pork with foil (or don’t, I honestly don’t notice a difference but it supposedly helps prevent the pork from drying out) and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

NOW IT IS TIME TO MULTITASK. Now that the pork is in the oven, you are alone with the fruits and vegetables and can have your way with them. Cut all of the remaining ingredients (pineapple, red bell pepper, opion, and avocado) and place them in a bowl. If you’re any average person, this will take 10-15 minutes. If you are me, it could take an hour, because chopping is just not something you do fast. Squeeze the juice of a lime on the salsa-like thing, and add a pinch of salt. Then, mix.

Once the pork is done (you can cut it in the center to make sure, it can be sliiiiiightly pink but not very, and if it’s completely white that’s good too), place it on a plate and spoon the salsa / chutney / salad substance over it.

Then eat the shit out of this, because it is super good for you. Serve it with brussels sprouts or broccoli or whatever green vegetable you like to eat.

I wouldn’t do a starch with this, because adding the walnuts to the pork adds a lot of fat.  Don’t be scared, it’s unsaturated fat, which is something your body needs–walnuts are supergood for you, and provide essential fatty acids and a buncha vitamins and minerals. You should be allllll over walnuts. Adding them to this dish will fill you up more, and render the carb component of the meal unnecessary. Stick with just greens on this one.

IS THIS HEALTHY BECAUSE IT IS NOT FRIED?

Yes, and also many other reasons. Here are why these ingredients are things you should eat:

• PORK CHOP: This is the leanest cut of pork (so svelte), has the least sodium. It’s very high in protein, low in fat, and high in B-vitamins, which give you energy. A serving is 3oz (or one medium chop).
• AVOCADO: These are a great source of potassium and fiber.  They’re high in calories, but low in saturated fat. Monounsaturated fat, on the other hand, makes you feel full, reduces cholesterol and reduces your risk of heart disease. A serving is about 1/4 of an avocado.
• WALNUTS: There’s even MORE than what’s been said. They’re high in antioxidants, have been proven to help reduce risk of heart disease, and are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are literally food for your brain. A serving is 10 walnuts.
• PINEAPPLE: Believe it or not, this is actually nature’s anti-inflammatory secret. It’s also high in potassium, which helps to promote electrolyte balance.

OK go eat this now. Be on the lookout for more recipes (maybe one a week? something like that?)