Hamburger Stroganoff with Paleo Option

I love hamburger stroganoff! It is something that my mom made all the time when I was growing up, so it has been a comfort food to me in my adult years. These last few months I have decided to give up grains in an effort to cut down on bloating and help me get rid of some stubborn pounds. Sadly, it worked really well! Helping me to discover a milk gluten intolerance. Bummer! So I have been trying to adjust my eating to be in line with my new way of eating. I find that no sugar and no gluten often leads me to the paleo options. And even though I can tolerate dairy, I have cut it back quite a bit anyway. This is one of the first recipes I have altered. It was so easy, and so good! Everyone loved it! I served it over noodles for the family and they didn't even realize it was any different then what they were used to! I ate it over riced cauliflower but will totally do spaghetti squash next time. This meal is also a snap, coming together in less then 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

-       1 lb ground beef

-       6 Tbsp flour OR 3 Tbsp tapioca starch

-       ½ cup milk OR coconut milk

-       ¾ cup chicken broth

-       1 tsp garlic salt

-       ¼ tsp onion powder

-       8 oz mushrooms

-       1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup non-dairy plain yogurt OR 1 cup coconut cream + 1 TBSP lemon juice)

Directions:

-       Cook ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until cooked through.

-       Add flour OR tapioca starch, mixing until combined.

-       Add milk and broth all at once, stirring until fully incorporated.

-       Add garlic salt, onion powder, and mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are cooked to desired texture, stirring frequently.

-       Add sour cream, stirring until well combined. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Serve over noodles, mashed potatoes, cooked spaghetti squash, or riced cauliflower.

-->

Meat Loaf Bolognese

I hate catsup and therefore don't like recipes that use it. I think it is too sweet. The problem is that my husband really likes meatloaf which is drenched in the stuff. The compromise is this Italian version of one of his favorites. Serve with salad and a crusty bread.

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground extra-lean turkey or beef
2 cups fresh whole wheat bread crumbs*
1 egg white
2 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning, divided
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350º. Lightly spray 9x5" loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat until hot. Cook onion, carrot and celery 5 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds.

3. Gently combine onion mixture, turkey or beef, pork, bread crumbs, egg white, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mound meat loaf mixture in loaf pan, smoothing top. Spoon spaghetti sauce over top; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning.

4. Bake 45 - 50 minutes or until internal temp reaches 165º. Serve meat loaf with sauce.

* To make fresh bread crumbs, tear day-old whole grain bread into pieces; place in food processor or blender. Mix until coarse crumbs for. 1 slice yields ~3/4 cup crumbs.

Onion beef soup

I love French Onion soup and found this easy recipe.

2 c thinly sliced onions (I chopped mine in a food processor)
1T butter or fat of choice to fry onions
2C. cooked hamburger or beef crumbled or cut small
3T flour (or mashed potato flakes to thicken a bit)
1t mustard
1T honey, sugar or sweetener

cook onions in butter over medium low heat for 15 to 20 min until tender and golden brown.    Stir occasionally.  Add beef and broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 min.

in a small bowl combine flour and sugar and stir into soup add mustard,. bring to a boil, cook and stir 1-2 min till slightly thickened.  4-5 servings

Hamburger Stroganoff

This recipe warms my soul on a cold winter day.

This can be made as healthy (or as unhealthy) as you want. This is my version and is a staple at our house.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground meat (beef, buffalo, turkey)

1 can sliced mushrooms

1 tbsp garlic salt

2 tbsp flour
1 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup

Noodles (I use whole wheat rotini)

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, brown meat in a skillet until done. Add mushrooms and cook about 2 minutes. Add flour and garlic salt until well mixed. Add yogurt and soup. Cook until ingredients and blended, smooth, thick and bubbly. Serve over warm noodles.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

I love stir fry because it is so quick and healthy. This recipe is one of my favorites. The key to a good beef and broccoli is to slice the beef as thin as you can.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb lean steak, trimmed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
dash of chili oil (I don't keep this on hand so I substitute 1/4 tsp red chili paste)
1/2 inch piece fresh rood ginger, grated
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
3 Tbsp soy sauce, divided
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 broccoli stalks, florets only
2/3 cup beef broth
2 tsp cornstarch
4 tsp water

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut the steak into thin strips and place in a shallow glass dish. Mix together the garlic, chili oil, ginger, Chinese five spice powder and 2 Tbsp soy sauce in a small bowl and pour over beef, tossing to coat the strips. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator.

2. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok. Add broccoli and stir-fry over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Heat the remaining oil in the wok. Add the steak together with the marinade, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until the steak is browned and sealed.

4. Return the broccoli to the wok and stir in the remaining soy sauce and stock.

5. Blend the cornstarch with the water to form a smooth paste and stir it into the wok. Bring to a boil, stirring, until thickened and clear. Cook for 1 minute. Serve over rice. Yield: 4 servings.

Korean Beef Skewers

These are so quick and easy it is absurd. To maximize flavor, marinate over night.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup less-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp red chili paste (I use Thai Kitchen roasted red chili paste)
1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1 lb) top sirloin steak, sliced against the grain into thin strips
8 oz wide rice sticks
3 Tbsp tinkly sliced green onions

Directions:
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a ziploc bag. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade and place in the refridgerator. Add beef to bag; seal. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes to overnight, turning once. Remove steak from bag; reserve marinade. Thread steak evenly onto 8 skewers. Grill over medium-high heat for 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
2. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and stir in reserved marinade. Top noodles with green onions. Serve with skewers.
Yield: 4 serving (2 skewers and 1/2 cup noodles).

Beef and Sugar Snap Stir-Fry

This is a great way to use those yummy peas that are in season. The key to this recipe is to cut the steak as thin as possible.

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  rice vinegar, divided
• 2  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 1  (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed and thinly sliced across grain
• 2  teaspoons  sugar
• 2  teaspoons  hoisin sauce
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 2  teaspoons  toasted sesame oil, divided
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 1  teaspoon  bottled minced ginger
• 1/2  teaspoon  minced garlic
• 1  cup  chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2  cup  matchstick-cut carrot
• 1  (8-ounce) package fresh sugar snap peas
• 1/3  cup  chopped green onions

Preparation

1. Combine 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and beef in a large bowl. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sugar, hoisin, salt, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add beef mixture to pan; stir-fry 2 minutes or until done. Place beef mixture in a bowl. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 15 seconds. Stir in bell pepper, carrot, and peas; sauté 3 minutes. Add vinegar mixture and beef mixture to pan; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in green onions.

Steamed rice with green onions: Cook 1 cup white rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Remove from heat; stir in 3/4 cup chopped green onions and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds.

Italian Lasagna

A Disclaimer: This isn't a quick recipe. But it is healthy and delicious.

Ingredients:
Ragu Sauce (See below)
Lasagna Noodles
Medium White Sauce
Shredded Mozzarella or Italian Cheese Blend
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
Start with a good ragu sauce. If you don't want to go through the trouble of making one from scratch, brown 1 lb ground meat, add 1 jar of spaghetti sauce.

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. (We prefer whole wheat noodles.) Place noodles on wax paper or aluminum foil to prevent them from sticking together.

Make Medium White Sauce:
   2 Tbsp butter melted in pan
   add 2 Tbsp flour and cook until bubbling.
   add 1 cup milk and salt and pepper to taste. Boil and stir continuously until thick (about 1 min).

Pour a few Tbsp of ragu on the bottom of a greased 13x9" pan. Arrange half of lasagna noodles on the bottom of pan. Layer half of ragu, white sauce and mozzarella. Repeat. Top with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Cook at 375º for 1 hour.

Italian Pot Roast

I really should call this blog Lazy and Healthy Meals, because that is my real motivation. I was going to make Pot Roast with Rich Tomato Gravy, but was too lazy. I have had this recipe in my 'To Try' binder forever and decided to finally give it a go. My husband said this is his new favorite way to make pot roast.

Ingredients:
   1 boneless beef bottom round roast (3 pounds)
   1 1/2 cups water
   6 garlic cloves, minced
   2 bay leaves
   3 Tbsp dried basil
   4 1/2 tsp dried oregano
   1 1/2 tsp salt
   1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
   1/2 tsp garlic powder
   1 Tbsp cornstarch
   3 Tbsp cold water

Directions:
1. Place roast in slow cooker. Combine water, garlic and seasonings; pour over roast. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
2. Discard bay leaves. Remove roast to a serving platter; let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, for gravy, pour liquid into a small sauce pan. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into liquid. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice beef; serve with gravy.

Caputo's Irish Dinner (Corn Beef and Cabbage)

This is my favorite way to prepare corned beef.

Ingredients:

• 1, 3 to 5 lb. corned beef
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar (optional)
• 8 small red potatoes, cleaned and peel removed from center strip only
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 large onions, sliced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 head green cabbage, trimmed and cut into eighths
• whole grain or spicy mustard

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Remove corned beef from package and rinse well. Place in a roasting pan and cover ¾ with hot water. Sprinkle with spice package that comes with corned beef, add balsamic vinegar, cover tightly and place in oven for 18 to 24 hours.

An hour and a half before serving prepare potatoes, cover with water and boil for about 30 minutes or until slightly tender. Remove from water, season with salt and pepper, and place uncovered in a baking dish in same oven with corned beef.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet, place onions in skillet and sauté slowly until well caramelized, about 30 minutes.

Remove the corned beef from oven; pour off the excess liquid in the roasting pan into a large pot. Return the corned beef to the roasting pan cover and return to oven. Place the cabbage in the liquid in the pot, cover and cook until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

When cabbage is done arrange the corned beef, potatoes, onions, and cabbage on a large platter and serve with the mustard.

Optional Slow Cooker Method:

Place brisket in the slow cooker, fat side up. Cover brisket 3/4 of the way with water. Put in 1 cup Balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle brisket with seasoning packet from the brisket. Cover and cook on low for 10-20 hours. (The longer it cooks, the more it dissolves in your mouth.)

Irish Stew

The cooking time on this is long, but the prep is short. If your store doesn't have lamb, I use veal instead.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
• 1-1/2 pounds lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions

• Place 1/3 cup flour in a large resealable plastic bag. Add lamb, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat.
• In a Dutch oven, brown lamb in batches in 2 tablespoons oil. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, saute onions in remaining oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
• Add broth, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Return lamb to the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until meat is tender.
• Add potatoes and carrots; cover and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in peas; cook 5-10 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.
• Add seasonings and Worcestershire sauce. Combine remaining flour with water until smooth; stir into stew. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Yield: 8 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Traditional Bolognese Sauce (Ragu)

This recipe is from a cookbook I got while in Italy for my wedding. It is such a great sauce that I make it regularly. I am posting the original recipe with my own pictures added. I use 1 lb of bison instead of the 1.5 lb ground beef. I also typically add about 2-3 times the carrots, celery and garlic suggested, so do whatever you think your family would like. To save time, chop the veggies in your food processor. This sauce is also fantastic in lasagna.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin)

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 1/2 lb ground beef

2/3 cup red wine or beef broth

1 cup milk

14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 Tbsp sun-dried tomato paste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook gently, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until vegetables soften. Do not allow the vegetables to color.

2. Add the beef to the pan with the vegetables and cook over a medium heat until the meat changes color, stirring constantly and breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon.

3. Pour in the wine or broth. Stir frequently until it has evaporated, then add the milk and continue cooking and stirring until this has evaporated too.

4. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste, with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the sauce uncovered, over the lowest possible health for at least 45 minutes. (Note: Don't skimp on the cooking time - it is essential for a full-flavored Bolognese sauce. Some Italian cooks insist on cooking it for 3-4 hours, so the longer the better). Serve over noodles garnished with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. 

Tater Tot Casserole

This is a veggied up version of the kid-friendly classic. To make it even healthier, use half of the tater tots by spacing them further apart and cut out the cheese.

Ingredients:

1 lb very lean ground beef (or bison, which is what I cook with)

3 stalks celery

3 carrots

1 onion
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheese

16 oz frozen tater tots

Saute veggies until tender. Add burger, salt and pepper. Cook until meat is no longer pink. Add soup and milk. Place meat mixture in a 1.5 qt casserole dish. Sprinkle on cheese. Arrange tater tots on top. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Yield: 6 servings.

Corn Chili

Marc and I make this all the time. We made it the other day to warm us up in the changing season. Marc likes to make this in the morning then throw it in the slow cooker. Omit the beef for a vegetarian option. Serve with corn bread. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 tsp ground cayenne pepper

2 tsp dried oregano

1 lb frozen corn kernels

2 (14.5 oz) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained

2 tsp chicken bouillon granules

1 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

Directions:

In a large pot, cook beef and onion in oil over medium heat until beef is no longer pink. Stir in cayenne and oregano and cook 1 minute more. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook, uncovered, until heated through and slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes.

The Juicy Lucy

I was watching the travel channel and they featured a burger called the Juicy Lucy. We have been making our own version of this for years. We use a generous amount of blue cheese or cheddar, but swiss or pepper jack would be excellent as well.

2 slices bread

2 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 lbs ground meat (we use buffalo)

cheese of your choice in the amount of your choosing

Chop bread in a food processor or blender. Mix breadcrumbs, milk, salt and pepper together. Add meat and mix well. Divide meat into 16 patties. Place the desired amount of cheese in a pile in the center of one pattie and top with another pattie. Pinch edges to seal. Repeat until you have 8 burgers. Grill 4 minutes on each side or until done. Serve on buns with your favorite fixings! Goes great with homemade fries.

Caputo's Irish Dinner

This is a recipe from one of our favorite Salt Lake chefs. We make this every year for St. Patrick's day. It is super easy, but you need to remember a day in advance. If you forget until that morning, just throw it in the slow cooker with the juices.

Ingredients:
1, 3 to 5lb. corned beef
1 cup balsamic vinegar (optional)
8 small red potatoes, cleaned and peel removed from center strip only
salt and pepper to taste
3 large onions, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 head greed cabbage, trimmed and cut into eighths
whole grain or spicy mustard

Method:
Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Remove corned beef from package and rinse well. Place in a roasting pan and cover 3/4 with hot water. Sprinkle with spice package that comes with corned beef, add balsamic vinegar, cover tightly and place in oven for 18 to 24 hours.
An hour and a half before serving prepare potatoes, cover with water and boil for about 30 minutes or until slightly tender. Remove from water, season with salt and pepper, and place uncovered in a baking dish in same oven with corned beef.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet, place onions in skillet and suate slowly until well caramelized, about 30 minutes.
Remove the corned beef from oven, pour off the excess liquid in the roasting pan into a large pot. Return the corned beef to the roasting pan, cover and return to oven. Place the cabbage in the liquid in the pot, cover and cook until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
When cabbage is done arrange the corned beef, potatoes, onions, and cabbage on a large platter and serve with the mustard.

Greek Beef Skillet

I got this recipe from my aunt Debbilyn and is a staple at our house. The ingredient combo sounds weird at first, but is really good.

1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic
2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
8 oz cooked pasta (penne, rotini, or gemelli)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cook pasta - while cooking, in a large skillet cook onion and beef. Add garlic and saute 3 minutes. Stir in spaghetti sauce and spices. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta and feta, heat 1-2 minutes. Serve immediatly. You can also layer the pasta, meat and feta on top.

Pot Roast with Rich Tomato Gravy

We skipped the browning step. The meat was so tender it just fell apart. It was absolutely delicious and very easy. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

3-4 lbs beef roast or cross-rib roasts or rump roast, about
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
2 tablespoons flour
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 (14 ounce) can condensed beef broth (undiluted)
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

Directions

1 Pat roast dry with paper towel.
2 In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
3 Add roast and cook, turning, until brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes.
4 Transfer to slow cooker.
5 Reduce heat to medium.
6 Add onions, celery and carrots to pan and cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened.
7 Add garlic, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
8 Sprinkle mixture with flour and stir.
9 Add tomato soup and beef broth and cook, stirring, until thickened.
10 Stir in Worcestershire sauce.
11 Pour mixture over roast, cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours, until meat is very tender.
12 Remove roast from slow cooker and place on serving platter.
13 Pour sauce over roast or serve in a separate sauce boat.