Low Carb (and Organic) Pork Chops with Fennel

When you are looking for a hearty, deeply comforting mid-week meal that keeps your wellness goals firmly on track, this one-pan wonder hits the brief. It combines succulently seared, free-range New Zealand pork chops with earthy, nutrient-dense fennel and fresh garden greens.

It is clean, rustic, and incredibly easy to whip up after a busy day. Best of all? It delivers a rich, savoury depth without any hidden sugars, artificial thickeners, or unnecessary carbs.

Carbs: Low impact (complex carbohydrates from fibre-rich organic fennel and beans) Sugar: Zero added sugars (relying entirely on the natural sweetness of caramelised fennel) Gluten-Free / Dairy-Free

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25 mins Servings: 4

Ingredients

Everything you need for this dish can be easily sourced from the organic aisles at one of the major NZ supermarkets. we have given the organic options:

• 4 thick-cut Organic Free-Range Pork Chops (Havoc Farm Pork or local NZ organic)
• 2 tbsp Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Macro Organic)
• 2 large bulbs Organic Fennel, thinly sliced (save the fronds for garnish)
• 2 tbsp Organic Crushed Garlic (Just Foods Organic)
• 1 can (425g) Organic Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained (Macro Organic)
• 1 cup Organic Chicken or Vegetable Stock (Chantal Organics or Macro Organic)
• 1 tbsp Organic Dijon Mustard (Ceres Organics)
• 2 cups Organic Silverbeet or Spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp Dried Thyme or Italian Herbs
• To taste Fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method

1. Sear the Pork Heat the organic extra virgin olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or heavy-based casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Add the pork chops, seasoning lightly with sea salt and black pepper. Sear for 3–4 minutes on each side until beautifully golden on the outside. (Don't worry about cooking them through just yet; we want to keep them succulent). Lift the pork out of the pan and set it aside on a plate.
2. Sauté the Aromatics Turn the heat down to medium. In the same pan, utilising those delicious leftover pork juices, toss in your thinly sliced organic fennel. Sauté for about 5 minutes until it begins to soften and caramelise, then stir in the crushed garlic and dried thyme. Cook for another 60 seconds until your kitchen smells incredible.
3. Simmer and Plump Pour in the stock and stir in the Dijon mustard, mixing well to scrape up any flavourful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the seared pork chops and any resting juices back to the mix. Bring it to a gentle simmer, pop the lid on, and let it cook for 10 minutes until the pork is tender and cooked through, and the fennel is melt-in-the-mouth soft.
4. Fold in the Veg and Serve Remove the lid and gently stir in the drained organic cannellini beans and the chopped silverbeet. Simmer uncovered for a final 3–5 minutes. The beans will heat through, absorbing that rich, savoury broth, while the greens wilt perfectly into the pan. Give it a final taste, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, scatter over the reserved fennel fronds, and ladle into wide bowls.

Pour yourself a glass of your favourite organic low-sugar wine like the Kelly Washington Organic Sauvignon Blanc, and enjoy a perfectly balanced, wholesome dinner.