October is
National Pork Month and a great time to power up
your plate with pork. The high quality of protein in pork may help you feel
fuller longer, provide you with an excellent source of many B vitamins for
energy and may even help you lose weight.
For a
healthy and balanced diet, choose lean cuts of pork. To identify lean cuts of pork at the grocery
store, look for the word “loin” on the label, such as pork tenderloin or loin
chop. Pork tenderloin is just as lean as a skinless chicken breast. An analysis
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found there are six cuts of pork that are
considered either extra lean or lean by labeling standards (less than 10g of
fat, 4.5g saturated fat, and 95 mg of cholesterol per serving). These include pork tenderloin, pork boneless top loin chop, pork
top loin roast, pork center loin chop, pork sirloin roast and pork rib chop.
The U.S.
Department of Agriculture recommends that the safe end-point for cooking pork
is now 145oF (lowered from 160oF). At 145oF,
the pork will be a little pink in color, but is safe to eat. Since today’s pork
is leaner than ever, the lower cooking temperature results in a juicier, more
flavorful meat. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure proper cooking
temperature.
Pork is a
versatile product that can easily be incorporated into all your meals. Try
these simple ideas and remember to choose lean cuts of protein!
At breakfast:
-Make
your own healthy breakfast sandwich at home. Start with a light whole wheat
English muffin and top with an egg, Canadian bacon (more lean than regular bacon)
and low-fat cheese.
-Scramble
together eggs, Canadian bacon and veggies and place on a whole wheat tortilla.
Serve with your favorite salsa.
-Try
Stick-With-You Sunrise Muffins (recipe
below).
At lunch:
-Substitute pork for chicken in your favorite homemade chicken
noodle soup recipe, or substitute pork for beef in your traditional chili
recipe.
-Top
romaine lettuce, spinach or kale with thinly sliced pork tenderloin, black
beans, pineapple and one of your favorite citrus fruits.
-Fill
a whole wheat wrap with lean pork, avocado, red onion and diced green chiles.
At dinner:
-Stir-fry
cubed pork loin with your favorite vegetables and serve with quinoa.
-Consider
lean pork as a pizza topping; use a whole wheat pizza crust and top with lots
of vegetables and 2% shredded cheese.
-Make
stuffed peppers using 96%-lean ground pork.
Get your day
started off with a powerful punch of protein from pork with these simple and
delicious muffins!
Stick-With-You
Sunrise Muffins
Serving size: 2 muffins
Serves 6.
All you
need:
Hy-Vee olive oil spray
6 tablespoons minced green onion
9 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 ounces baby spinach leaves
8 large eggs and 4 large egg whites
3/4 cup skim milk
24 slices Amana Canadian bacon
4 ounces grated reduced–fat crumbled
feta cheese
All you do:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F and arrange
rack in middle. Spray muffin pan with olive oil spray.
2. Spray olive oil in a large frying pan
and heat to medium. Add onion and bell pepper; season well with freshly ground
black pepper and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook
until spinach is well wilted, about 2 minutes
3. In a bowl, scramble eggs and egg whites
and mix with skim milk.
4. Place 2 Canadian bacon slices in the
bottom of each muffin cup to line it and top with vegetable mixture
5. Divide eggs
into muffin cups and divide feta cheese evenly among the cups.
6. Put muffin tin on a baking sheet and
bake for about 15 to 18 minutes.
Easy
Tip: Prepare multiple muffins and keep
frozen. Muffins can be easily microwaved for 1-2 minutes to re-heat for an easy
grab-and-go breakfast.
*Adapted from the National Pork Board.
-Dietitian Amanda
