This week's recipe is a throwback my childhood when my Dad made us lunch. My sister and I had to be under the age of six, but I have vivid memories of our excitement when he made his Sloppy Joe's (from a can). The other fond memory is when we rode our bikes to Burger King (on a busy road without a helmet...oh the 80's). Although I honestly can say I never have cravings for a Burger King happy meal, when the weather is dark and chilly and I want something quick and filling this Sloppy Joe recipe (with a few changes) is our family's go to.
The weeknight at the grocery store when we decided Sloppy Joes were a great idea for a last minute dinner, I had trouble finding the canned Sloppy Joe, but when I did the ingredients and nutrition facts were such that we (probably more me than my husband) decided to google a recipe...Allrecipes does it again!
I love this recipe because it's balanced and includes vegetables-an onion and green pepper. To amp up the veggies (and flavor), use an entire small or medium onion and green pepper, which I've adjusted in the below recipe and 93% lean ground turkey (due to preference). We often throw the onion and green pepper in a food processor because it produces a fine mince in under 30 seconds. If your fellow diners dislike veggies or are sensitive to different textures, food processing is the way to go.
Enjoy on a whole wheat hamburger bun. Depending on your appetite, this is all you may need, but our family needs more. Our 3 year old loves corn and recently discovered a love for green beans too. Corn takes 5 minutes to boil and extras can be reheated the next night.
I blanch the green beans by tossing in boiling water for a few minutes then straining and running under very cold water (technically they should be put into an ice bath, but for a weeknight meal why create one more bowl?!).
This leads to a vibrant, aesthetically appealing green along with a great crunch and sweeter taste, which kids tend to be into. I usually add butter and almond slices, but that night kept it simple. I was surprised how much he loved them, so wanted to provide the tip! These also last for days and can be enjoyed right out of the fridge.
To your health,
Heather
Ready In: 40 m
Adapted from the recipe by:Tamara
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey (at least 90% lean or greater)
1 small or medium chopped onion
1 green bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 teaspoons brown sugar
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
Directions
In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.