Lean Beef Burrito Bowl

Last night I was looking for an easy recipe to whip up quickly after an evening run.

The first recipe I thought of under the "quick & easy" category is something similar to the burrito recipe a friend of mine sent me.  We had almost all of the ingredients already in our pantry, so I just had to run out for the meat.  I prefer going "tortillaless" and habitually order burrito bowls, so I figured I'd give it a try at home.

Lean Beef Burrito Bowl

1 lb lean ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 can Rotel tomatoes & green chilis
1 can black beans
1 cup sliced black olives (optional)
4 cups shredded lettuce
1 box Spanish rice
2 tbsp salsa (each)

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serves: 4
cook time: 20 minutes

To make bowl: Boil water for rice and brown ground beef.

Stir in Rotel, black beans and taco seasoning mix.

 Stir well, then turn down heat to simmer while you finish preparing the bowls.
*TIP: You can also use this recipe in a crock pot as well.

While waiting for rice to cook, wash and prep the lettuce and olives (optional).

When the rice is done, start your bowls with a cup of lettuce and a 1/2 cup of rice per bowl.

Add meat mixture and top with olives (optional) and salsa (optional).

*TIP: If you want to make a regular burrito: I recommend using these La Tortilla's Smart & Delicious low carb, high fiber whole wheat tortillas.

Serve your Spanish rice on the side of the burrito and Enjoy!

Question:
Did you notice I didn't use any shredded cheese?
(You don't need it!) ;)

Award-Winning Spicy Brisket Chili

You may have heard that Scott and I participated in a Chili Cook-off last weekend.  It was a great way to enjoy a pot luck theme of chili and have a friendly cooking competition - not to mention: we WON with our go-to Spicy Brisket Chili! 

The reason this all started was because of an Award-Winning Chili recipe Scott found from the Food Network.  Anything with "award-winning" in the title of it must be great, right?

The first time Scott made this chili was for a family dinner we hosted.  At first I was going to make a salad to accompany the chili, but what you see below seems to do better on its own. The brisket makes it filling and you'll enjoy every single bite.  

*Beware: this recipe can get pretty spicy!  The first time we made this my family was literally sweating...so use your chili powder sparingly. *TIP: Although it's not for all, spicy food is known to speed up your metabolism.  All in favor of spices for shedding pounds - say I!

Award-Winning Spicy Brisket Chili

5 pounds beef brisket, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, crushed
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1 bay leaf
6 cups tomatoes, chopped with their liquid
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup strong coffee
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves

prep time: 30 minutes
cook time: 3 hours and 15 minutes
servings: 6-8

To make chili: start by cutting your brisket into cubes.  You can do this by slicing it into strips first.

 

Then into the cubes:

Pat the brisket cubes dry with paper towels and set aside in a separate bowl.

Next, get all of your veggies ready by dicing the green peppers,

chopping the tomatoes (notice the fancy chopping method!),

chopping the yellow onions (we used our handy dandy onion chopper):

and mincing the garlic (once again we're being handy: check out the garlic mincer tool).

*SIDENOTE: Scott already owned these things before I met him.  He is a sucker for "as seen on TV stuff," mostly in the Kitchen department.  You can find something similar to our veggie chopper here or here.  As for the garlic mincer, you can find that at any major kitchen supply store.

Hey, things that make prepping food easier? Works for me! :)

Once all of your veggies are chopped and diced, heat the oil in a very large pot.

Brown the meat, and make sure it's done on all sides.

Transfer the brisket to a separate bowl and set aside.

Sautee the onion and garlic in the same oil over medium heat until soft, but not brown (about 8-10 minutes).

Add the chili powder, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and cumin.

Sautee for 1 minute, then add green peppers, bay leaf, tomatoes (with their juices), the brisket, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid, and simmer for 2 and a half hours. *Stir occasionally.

Taste and season with salt, to taste.  Add the coffee:
*TOP SECRET INGREDIENT!*

Simmer for 1 more hour.  Add the kidney  beans and basil.

Warm through.  Transfer the chili to a large serving bowl, or crock pot to simmer until ready to serve.

*Serve with sour cream, grated Cheddar, diced tomatoes, jalapenos, guacamole, or any of your favorite chili toppings & Enjoy!

YUM! The recipe says it will serve 6-8, but it seems to feed more, as the brisket can be quite filling.  You can make the recipe more or less spicy by adding or taking away the amount of chili powder, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper & cumin.

I gave you the *TOP SECRET INGREDIENT* of coffee, but there are still a few little things Scott adds to make it "his" infamous Spicy Chili.  I can't spill all of the chili beans, can I?

Good Luck!

Questions:

• Have you ever heard of using coffee in a chili recipe before?
• Do you like your chili spicy or more on the sweeter side?

Diet Coke Sloppy Joes

Who like's them nice and schloppy? <-- channeling my love for Billy Madison.

I do! I absolutely LOVE sloppy joes.  I've enjoyed them and requested SJ night at least once a week while growing up.  It sounds funny, but besides her homemade chili (*by the way, Scott's Spicy Chili Recipe is coming soon!) my mom's sloppy joes was my favorite.

When I got back on the healthy train last year, I made a decision to completely switch over to whole wheat, lean beef and light sauce substitutions, among others.  Every now and then I crave foods that can be "bad" for me, and curb those cravings with alternative ingredients: hence my Low-fat Cheeseburger Pie.

Sloppy joes are a go-to for me when I'm craving protein and want to put together a quick and easy meal, so here's my go-to healthy (but still very YUMMY) version of them:

Diet Coke Sloppy Joes

16 oz. (1 lb.) lean ground beef - at least 96%
1 cup Diet Coke
2/3 cup reduced sugar ketchup
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 onion chopped (optional)
1/2 green pepper chopped (optional)

prep time: 10-15 minutes
cook time: 30 minutes
serves: 4

To make sloppy joes: start by chopping up your veggies.  You don't have to have onion and peppers in your SJs, but I think it adds flavor and texture...not to mention sneaks in some greens! :)

I like to get fresh lean beef from the meat counter at the grocery store.  I see what's on sale, or default back to the chilled meat section.

Brown ground beef in a large skillet.

When meat is browned, drain it to eliminate the excess grease.

Add back to skillet and add your veggies.

Add your cup of Diet Coke.
*NOTE: You can also substitute Coke Zero, if you prefer.

Add your ketchup.  The recipe calls for reduced sugar ketchup, so I went with The Fresh Market's organic ketchup.

Add the remaining ingredients: white vinegar, worcestershire sauce and dry mustard.

Cook on low, uncovered for 30 minutes. *NOTE: SJ mixture will look a little liquidy.  It will thicken during your simmer time.

After half an hour the sauce will be thick enough to serve.

*TIP: You can also prepare this dish in the morning/afternoon and leave it cooking on low in a crock-pot until dinner time: after work time saver!

Finish it off by adding a whole-wheat bun or 100 calorie Deli-Flat bun.  I discovered these a year or so ago and haven't gone back to buying a regular bun since.

*NOTE: They also have multi-grain and a variety of flavors, but 100% Whole Wheat is always your best option.

The only thing about these buns I could live without is the bottom bun.  It's not as thick as the top, which can make sloppy joes extra sloppy.  Nobody says eating healthy was perfect...so I say go ahead and embrace the sloppiness.

Pair your Diet Coke Sloppy Joes with a healthy side like steamed cauliflower drizzled with low-fat cheese and Enjoy!

Questions:

• Have any of you ever tried the Deli-Flats or similar buns?
• Besides sloppy joes, (which are always going to be a mess) do they work for your everyday bun needs?

Lowfat Cheeseburger Pie

Who doesn't like a good old-fashioned cheeseburger?  I love almost any kind of burger, but for some reason they don't really like me and my waistline back.  This week I had a craving for a CB and instead of giving into it right away, I now had a mission to find a low-fat alternative, figure out the recipe and get my husband on board with my healthy cheeseburger train.

Once again I turned to my handy-dandy Sparks Recipes App when I was on-the-go, picked up a few ingredients and started cookin!

What's different in this recipe that makes it so much better for you?  For starters it's made with Ground Turkey instead of beef, and substitutes Heart Smart Bisquick for the need of a bun.

Lowfat Cheeseburger Pie

1 lb extra lean ground turkey
1 cup non-fat cottage cheese
1 egg (I used 2 tbsp egg whites)
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used white)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
3/4 cup Kraft 2% Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup of Heart Smart Bisquick (mix only)
4 slices of tomato

cooktime: 50 minutes
servings: 8

To make pie: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and start by chopping your onion and garlic. 

Brown ground turkey, onions and garlic in a large skillet.

While the turkey is browning, use this time to make your pie crust using Heart Smart Bisquick.

Mix Bisquick and water to form a dough.

Add water gradually as needed for dough.  You might need to add a bit more of either ingredient when you roll out the dough.  For best results, try rolling directly on your kitchen counter top
(after you're sure it's clean, of course). 
*TIP: If your dough is sticking, try adding more Bisquick.

Roll the dough with a rolling pin so it's flat enough to cover a pie pan.  *NOTE: You might have extra dough. 
Place dough in pie pan.

*NOTE: While making pie crust, be sure to keep checking on your browning turkey.  After you're done with the crust, mix Worcestershire Sauce in with the turkey, onions & garlic.

Ground all together for a minute or two.  During this time make your cottage cheese and egg layer.  The recipe called for 1 egg, but I substituted 2 tbsp of egg whites liquid instead.

 
In a separate bowl, mix the cottage cheese with the egg. 

By now your turkey mixture will be ready to pour into your crust.

Pour the cottage cheese mixture over turkey.

Top with Shredded Cheddar Cheese.



Place tomato slices on top and you're ready to bake that pie!

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, cut with a butter knife (to avoid scratching pie pan) and serve.

ENJOY the oooie-gooie, lighter version of the classic cheeseburger.

*BONUS RECIPE: Still hungry? Pair your Lowfat Cheeseburger Pie with a quick-and easy side salad.  I wanted something plain and simple that would compliment the pie, not overtake it.

pairing of choice: Side Salad

1/3 a head of iceburg lettuce
1/2 cucumber, peeled & sliced
8 tomatoes wedges or slices
a handful of mushrooms
2 pinches of alfalfa sprouts

cooktime: 5 minutes
serves: 2

To make side salad: peel, chop, and slice your veggies.

Rip the iceberg lettuce off of the head, wash and put enough in a bowl to fill it up.

Add the veggies and top and serve with your dressing of choice.  I chose a light oil & vinegar combo.

ENJOY your Lowfat Cheeseburger Pie and Side Salad!

What are some other good pairing ideas for your casseroles or dinner pies?