According to a survey commissioned by Quality Meat Scotland
(QMS), almost four in five (77%) Scots kicked off the new year by going on a
diet.
Apparently, six out of ten (60%) of those surveyed cited weight loss as one of the primary reasons for dieting.
This blogger is not convinced that dieting leads to anything other than yo-yoing weight. In our experience, cutting out A, B or C ingredient just makes us crave them more while feeling miserable in the process.
But we are convinced that eating a healthy, balanced diet as a matter of course is the way forward.
And cooking for yourself is one way of achieving this.
Bearing this in mind, we are delighted to relate that Scotland’s national chef Gary Maclean has partnered with QMS to help Scots stay on track with their healthy eating goals.
Gary is encouraging the nation to consider healthy meals using some of Scotland’s top-quality ingredients including Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork.
Tasty, healthy pork dishes
Mr Maclean said: 'QMS will be showcasing the versatility of Specially Selected Pork over the coming weeks in a new campaign which highlights a range of tasty, healthy pork dishes'.
Carol McLaren, QMS Director of Marketing and Communications, said: 'It is fantastic to see that so many people starting the new year committed to leading a healthier lifestyle.
'Our new campaign, with help from Gary, aims to ensure their plans don’t go awry by providing them with lots of inspiration in the kitchen – especially as we reach the mid-month lull.
'We’ll be focusing on Specially Selected Pork dishes as the research also shows that almost two-thirds of Scots are not aware that pork, one of Scotland’s most versatile and tasty ingredients, is the perfect choice for healthy eating.'
Low in fat, high in protein
The research heralds the start of QMS’s 'Go Places with Pork' campaign in the coming weeks, which aims to get the nation cooking pork and highlighting the fact it is low in fat, high in protein and other nutrients and budget friendly too.
The campaign will showcase simple pork recipes that take people on a global flavour journey – including curries, souvlaki, Asian noodles and schnitzel.
We'll kick off with this quick and easy to prepare recipe for teriyaki pork chops. That's our kind of diet.
Teriyaki Pork Chops
Serves 4
Cook time – 20 mins
Ingredients:
4 x large pork chops – approx 300g each
100ml soy sauce
100ml water
Juice of 1 lime
15g peeled fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic
1 flat tsp chilli flakes
40ml white wine vinegar
30g brown sugar
10g sesame seeds
35ml rapeseed oil
Method:
Heat the oil in a large frying pan
Sauté the pork chops on both sides for 3 to 4 minutes to colour
Mix all the other ingredients together in a bowl and mix well
Pour the sauce over the chops and turn them in the sauce to cover
Cover and cook on a low light for 15 minutes – turning once during the cooking time
Remove the chops from the pan – slice thinly, discard the bone
Serve drizzled with the sauce and sprinkle with the sesame seeds
Great served with jasmine rice and sautéed, sliced mangetout.