A classic you can adapt for more taste and nutrient density

When you buy minced meat in the supermarket you don't know what it looked like before they minced it. You also don't see what else has been added to it.

If you turn the packet to read the label you will more often than not see things like "dextrose" (a sugar that comes from corn). You will also probably see some additives that start with E... 

You will also see white bits in it - that's the fat, of the saturated kind. Saturated fat is not bad per se but we only need a little bit of it in our diet. Modern western diets contain all too much of it, so it has been vilified as the bad guy that will clog your arteries and kill you early. (That's not exactly true but that's for another post). In store bought minced you will not know how much fat is there as a proportion. 

I go with the principle that its best to be in control of what goes into our body - we only have one of those to carry us around for our time on this planet - so we might as well treat it with respect 😉.

However, minced meat is such a great, versatile product and especially if you have kids, it can be a lifesaver as a quick Bolognese and staple in your diet.

Here is what you can do to optimise it for taste & nutrient density:

• Invest in food processor. I spent about 50€ one that looks like this:

(You don't need anything fancy, or those ones that are specially designed for mincing meat. We have one, it takes forever and is a pain in the butt to clean. It should, however, have a double blade and must be able to handle harder things, like carrots, ice etc.)

• In the supermarket/butcher chose any meat you like that does not have a lot of fat. We use turkey, chicken (thighs or breast), pork, beef. I try to go for the ones that are already cut up into pieces but I can still see how much fat they have. You can be more adventurous if you like and use other meats too!
• Cut up the meat into pieces (if not cut already), put into the food processor and mince. It literally takes less than 1min! That is your time investment for a healthier choice. 
• Pour a little olive oil on a pan, dump your processed meat onto the pan and turn on the knob at low heat. 

Be creative

Now you can start improvising  😊. If you have kids, see this as an opportunity to make them eat veg! 

Use that same processor to chop and add:

• onions (if you have time to brown them on that pan in advance before adding the meat, that's a bonus for taste reasons but not a requirement). 
• mushrooms (nobody will see them, but they are a great addition to the meat and will make the whole experience less "heavy". Mushrooms have several unique nutritional and biochemical characteristics that fruit and veg do not. They contain Vit. D2 and a special kind of soluble fibre called β-glucans that are super good for your immune system, for your gut health, for lowering cholesterol and last, but not least, for regulating your blood sugar levels by slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates and improving your insulin sensitivity).

You can also add other any veg you like. I tend to use any (or all) of these:

• frozen peppers (easy-peasy, no need to chop anything, just pour them out of the bag)
• frozen peas
• tomato sauce, if you want to call it "bolognese"
• sometimes, I will use the food processor to chop up some kale and invite it to the party.

Antioxidant power

Now we get down to the real deal. You know how I feel about those AGEs (Advanced Glycation End-products). (If you don't, read the blog post on milk to find out 😉) 

Well, when you brown meat, those are produced - its a result of the famous Maillard reaction that happens when sugars and amino acids are heated at high temperatures. (If your meat contains dextrose btw, this happens even more). Sure, it can be tasty, but its not good news for the body. 

Here is a how you "have your cake and eat it":

Use as low a temperature as possible and add lots of spices

The Maillard reaction will typically occur at temperatures above 140°C (284°F) (but can already start with lower temperatures). So you want to be gentle with your minced meat when making it.

AGEs from the Maillard reaction will cause inflammation and oxidation in the body and adding spices will counter that somewhat because 

spices are anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory powerhouses.

So use them without moderation. 

By that I mean, buy them in bulk (I use amazon) and use them liberally - those little jars at the supermarket are expensive and will not take you very far at all. (I could easily use half or more of a little jar of oregano on one batch of this, so bulk buying is the way to go). 

Try to get them organic if possible.

When making my minced meat I like to use any (or all) of the following:

• oregano
• thyme
• dried coriander
• paprika
• pepper
• cumin
• garlic (fresh is better if you have time to add it at the very end of cooking, but if time is of the essence, its better to use some dried garlic than none at all)
  
• dried ginger (unlike garlic, this one is better dried than fresh) 
• dried moringa leaves (it's a "superfood")
• bay leaves
• fresh or frozen parsley leaves
• .... be creative, find your own happiness 😉

Minced meat is not just for spaghetti

Your antioxidant rich minced meat can be made in a big batch and used for more than one meal with many side dishes other than spaghetti. I like to combine mine with:

• buckwheat
• quinoa
• rice
• bulgur wheat

If I am going to use it with pasta, I go for pasta made from old grains, lentils, or something else that has some "character" and usually a darker colour. Yes, its more expensive and yes, you probably have to go to an organic shop to find it, but I see it as a "sometimes" food when time is short, rather than a daily phenomenon, so it works out without breaking the bank.

To avoid a blood sugar spike limit the amount of the starchy side dish to about 1/4 of a regular plate and go higher on all the veg.

• For a very low carb version you can use courgette "pasta" or cauliflower "rice".

So here you are, that's all you needed to know to optimise this classic in your diet. Its a perfect thermos food for school/work lunches.

It is not just that the nutritional value goes up this way, but 

the taste is also better when you mince the meat yourself.

I know taste is a subjective thing - but at least in our family of 5 (with very different taste buds!) this verdict is unanimous. And anyone else who I've spoken to that has tried this, agrees. 

It's well worth the extra minute or two it will take you to use that food processor.

Try it for yourself and tell me, Would love to hear what you think! 😉