5:2 Fast Day Recipes: Pork and Basil Meatballs with Courgette Spaghetti

My love affair with courgettes continues in my new recipe. I bought a julienne peeler so that I could make the courgette spaghetti that is so popular at the moment. Replacing carbs with courgettes has allowed me to use a bit of meat in this meal, so I've added in some pork meatballs along with a tomato sauce. Although not as indulgent as my usual meatballs (which contain veal and breadcrumbs amongst other tasty ingredients) they hit the spot and this actually feels like a proper meal. Delicious, nutritious and just over half of the days calorie count... Delish! 

Ingredients (Serves 2)

200g lean pork mince. 302 calories

300 ml passata. 75 calories

2 garlic cloves, chopped. 16 calories

2 large courgettes (or 400g), julienned. 71 calories.

1 large shallot (or 40g) chopped. 26 calories.

100g mushrooms, chopped. 28 calories.

Small bunch of basil, roughly chopped. 6 calories.

Low calorie cooking spray. 1 calorie.

Salt and pepper, to taste.

Total calories: 525 

Calories per serving: 263 

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Combine the mince and half the basil in a bowl and season to taste. Roll into bon bon sized balls and place in a frying pan, cooking over medium heat until the meatballs are browned on all sides.

The pork will release a bit of fat whilst frying, so that's what we're going to use to soften the veg. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and place in an oven proof dish.

Add the onions to the frying pan, allowing them to soften before adding the mushrooms and garlic. Fry for a further five minutes before adding the passata, scraping the base to pick up all the flavours of the pan.

Pour the sauce mixture over the meatballs and place in the preheated oven. It should take around 15 minutes for the pork to cook through.

Five minutes before serving, heat the low calorie spray in a frying pan and add the courgette spaghetti. Cook until soft and on the verge of browning. 

Serve the spaghetti with the meatballs and scatter the remaining basil on top. Parmasan shavings are always a welcome addition if enough calories have been saved up! 

Veal and Pork Meatballs

Beef and pork is the most common combination for making meatballs, but substituting veal for the beef gives a lighter texture and taste and allows the delicate flavour of the herbs to come through a lot more.

Ingredients

350g veal mince

350g pork mince

150g fresh breadcrumbs

1tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp fennel seeds

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

Small bunch of basil, chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp oil

1 egg, beaten

To serve

Fresh tomato sauce

Pasta

Method

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion and fennel seeds, cooking slowly on a low heat until softened. 

2.Place both minces in a large bowl and mix with hands until evenly combined. Add the softened onion and fennel seeds, garlic, fresh and dried herbs and the breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg, gradually, until everything is well combined.

3.Now shape your meatballs. The size is down to preference- they can be the size of Bonbons or the size of golf balls. I like mine somewhere in the middle. Obviously the bigger ones need longer to cook, so this may be something to take into consideration if you are particularly hungry... Once shaped, place the meatballs in the fridge for at least half an hour, to firm up.

4.Once firmed, preheat the oven to 180 degrees and heat two tablespoons of oil in a saucepan to a high temperature. Fry the meatballs in batches until they are well browned and transfer to an oven proof dish containing the tomato sauce.

5.Bake the meatballs and sauce in the oven until cooked through and serve with pasta and grated Parmesan.