Spinach Tiger loves ground beef. It’s our go to for easy meals that are fast, but not fast food. A meal like this can be made in about twenty minutes, Those of us who don’t want to rely on processed or frozen food need these ideas.  

Crack slaw is one of those easy, approachable recipes that is a savior when you’re eating low carb and you’re short on time. I’m not sure where this was invented or created. There are many recipes for it on the web and everyone puts their own spin on it.

My take for crack slaw is to slather it with an easy three-ingredient comeback sauce.

One of the ways I like crack slaw is to use a mixture of ground beef and ground pork because it makes me feel like I’m eating an egg roll. You can choose your ground meat. Most use beef, but the pork adds in a little extra flavor, resembling more of  that egg roll taste.

How to Make Crack Slaw with Comeback Sauce

It generally start with a little olive oil or avocado oil with some garlic, followed by ground meat. Once the meat is browned, l’ll add in the cabbage, fresh ginger, sesame oil, tamari or soy sauce. My secret for crack slaw is using my own homemade comeback sauce at the end.

Tip for Browning Ground Beef

This is a great tip that actually works for browning ground beef. I don’t know why it works, but it does.

• Add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to 2 tablespoons water. Pour over raw beef and wait 15 minutes before frying.

The Comeback Sauce

My comeback sauce is pretty simple. I use sriracha, mayonnaise, and a touch of soy sauce (tamari). I’ve seen recipes with a long list of ingredients, but this does it for me. I’ve tried adding in various ingredients and they did not work!

The ratio is mayo/sriracha is 4/1 and the tamari is to taste. You may want to add a tablespoon of tamari, but I would start with a teaspoon at a time. It’s so good.  It has the acid, fat and salt necesary. Creamy, tangy, and cool enough to counteract some of the heat in the crack slaw.

So tell me, do you have a secret sauce recipe? I’d love to hear about it.

More Ground Beef Ideas

• Ground Beef Cabbage Stir Fry
• Stuffed Cabbage
• Ground Beef with Peas and Onions, (most popular recipe).
• Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
• Sautéed Cabbage with Bacon and Onion
• Beef Cabbage Soup

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Crack Slaw with with Three Ingredient Comeback Sauce Recipe

An easy ground beef and shredded cabbage dish, using bagged cole slaw mix, sesame oil, sriracha and ginger.

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

Prep Ground Meat

• 1/3 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil more if needed once the slaw is added
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 pound ground beef see notes
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• salt pepper
• 1 bag cole slaw mix shredded cabbage
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon sriracha

Comeback Sauce

• 8 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sriracha
• 1 tablespoon tamari sauce or soy sauce more if needed

Instructions

• Mix baking soda and water. Pour over meat. Wait 15 minutes before cooking. This helps to brown the meat. In meantime, gather rest of ingredients.
• Saute the garlic in the oil just to soften.
• Add ground beef that has been seasoned with salt and pepper
• After meat is browned, add in the cole slaw mix.
• Mix thoroughly. It will seem like a lot of cabbage, but it will cook down.
• Add in sesame oil, ground ginger, sriraacha.
• Season to taste. You may need to add more oil.

Comeback Sauce

• Mix mayonnaise and sriracha together.
• Add tamari sauce one teaspoon at a time. Add as much as you need to taste, but not so much as to make this salty.

Notes

You can mix half ground pork, half ground beef for more flavor

The post Crack Slaw with Comeback Sauce Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

First things first. Gather your ingredients for the sauce, because you want it to chill in the fridge for an hour if you can.

Burger Sauce

• Mayonnaise (hopefully, made with avocado oil)
• Dijon Mustard
• Dill Pickle
• White Onion
• Paprika
• Worchestershire Sauce (or vinegar)
• Black Pepper

This is actually a riff on my big mac sauce but adding worchestershire and using dijon mustard. I really like this version a LOT. I did not include salt because pickles and worchestershire sauce is salty enough.

Technique for Cheeseburger Stir Fry

You want to get the meat crispy enough to be likened to a smash burger. Grey ground beef is not appetizing nor tasty.

Season your meat and use best baking soda technique. The baking soda technique helps to keep meat moist, and browns meat better.

How to Brown Ground Beef

Per each pound: 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. 1 tablespoon of water. Mix and pour over meat and wait 15 minutes prior to cooking. This really works. Each bite will have that smash burger crispiness on the edges.

Break the meat up as it is browning. I love this tool, or you can use a potato masher.

Once you are satisfied your meat is cooked, season as desired with salt the pepper, which happens to be the best two seasonings the world has ever seen.

Sprinkle with cheese of choice. Stick in oven just until cheese is melted. Or cover with lid and wait for cheese to melt.

Serve with chopped tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, and my best burger sauce. Of course, use lettuce of choice, but the crunch of iceberg works. Also, if you want to you could serve stir fry cheeseburger as lettuce wraps.

Variations

• Sautéed Mushrooms
• Crispy Bacon Bits
• Avocado Chunks
• Make dinner roll burgers (easier to fit into small rolls)
• Make cheeseburger tacos
• Make cheeseburger salad

My Other Favorite Low Carb Ground Beef Recipes

• Mini Meat Loaf Recipe
• Ground Beef and Cabbage Stirfry
• Ground Beef, Peas
• Keto Ground Beef Taco Meat

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Cheeseburger Stir Fry with Special Sauce

Cheeseburger Stir Fry with Special Burger Sauce

Course Salad and Salad Dressing

Cuisine American

Keyword Big Mac Salad, Big Mac Sauce

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Sauce Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Burger Sauce

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
• 2 tablespoons sugar free ketchup
• 3 tablespoons dill pickles finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons onion finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon pickle juice or white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Cheeseburger Stirfry

• 1 pounds ground beef
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 cups shredded cheddar

Instructions

Burger Sauce

• Make sure pickles and onion are very finely chopped.
  
• Mix together with all ingredients.

Cheeseburger Stir Fry

• Mix baking soda with water and mix into the ground beef. This will make the beef cook up crispier. Wait 15 minutes before cooking.
• Heat oil in pan.
• Fry the ground beef on medium heat. Allow the edges to get a little crispy similar to smash burgers. This should take about 10-12 minutes.
  
• Add cheese and cover to melt.
  

The post Cheeseburger Stir Fry with Best Burger Sauce (Keto friendly) appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I am republishing this 20 minutes RECESSION DELICIOUS recipe (initially posted in 2012) because grocery prices are crazy right now. This is fast, delicious and can be altered.  We love this ground peas and peas just as is, but you can add in pasta, potato or rice.

One day in the past, I stumbled upon a video of a 91-year old Italian-American grandmother, cooking pasta and peas just the way her mother cooked them nearly every night for her family during the depression.

She used an onion, a potato, and a can of peas,…. all items that didn’t need refrigeration and cost mere pennies.

This took me back to a year ago when I attended a pot luck at the Italian Club in Nashville. Someone had brought this dish that I couldn’t stop eating.

It was a sauté of ground beef, peas, onions, and olive oil. Out of all the things I could have treated myself to, this dish took my plate back for three helpings.

I am not hear to talk about socio-economic times, discuss politics or to depress you. I’m not a complainer, but I am a dreamy realist. I see the world through food. (that statement was written in 2009 during the recession, and here we are today in 2024), in strange times for different reasons.

Can I be brutally honest with you?  While I count my blessings every day to have a warm bed and good food to eat, I am in sticker shock every time I go to the grocery store.  I shop daily because it’s convenient for me. I can walk to my local Publix and I make myself walk almost daily to the Whole Foods (3.5 miles one way).

I try to choose grass fed beef which is healthier, but let’s face it, at $8 a pound, sometimes I choose something else.

As a food blogger, I probably do cook in my kitchen more than most and am acutely aware of how the prices have gone up. I’m also aware of how diseases related to fast food are on the rise, and how families no longer sit at the table the way they probably did for that Italian grandmother.

Ground Beef and Peas is Budget Friendly

If we need to adjust our budget (and we do), my first concern is my food budget.  What do I need to sacrifice?

That’s why I have easy, healthy, real food choices, that are fast, and practically brainless.

The grandmother in the video made me think of my grandmother, who lived through the depression, but was like me, in that she liked good food good. And, she knew how to make a five minute meal taste like a new culinary invention.

Today is my grandmother’s birthday. She would be 105 years old. She would still be cooking the exact same way…healthy, flavorful, uniquely fast, perhaps influenced a bit by the depression. Don’t try to picture the little Italian grandmother standing at the stove for hours cooking for her family.

My grandmother owned her own beauty salon, and cooked exactly once a week on Sunday night, only after all her clothes and sheets were pressed, and her newspapers were read. She was a rare beauty that never stepped foot in town in a “uniform.” She was a fashionista, donning heels, hat and gloves and threw her curvy body on a bus every day to get to down town, making a scene as if the paparazzi were following her.

Her allure and charm weren’t cut out from her Sunday night quick fires. Everything she made was authentic, such as spinach fritters, chicken and olives, or crabs and spaghetti, but it was fast, quick, earthy and a bit sexy, always hitting the senses with a surprise.

Italian Ground Beef with Peas and Onions from an Italian Grandmother

There would be lecture that “americanos” pronounced “ameriganos” don’t know how to eat. I look at their skin and I can smell their hair and know the garbage they are eating. But, you my Angela (pronounced Ahngela) have a grandmother that knows about food. Just look at me and you can see that I eat right.” Yes, she said that.

Since her day, the American diet has changed in that on one hand it has gotten worse, and on the other hand it has gotten much better. There are two different kinds of kitchens cooking (or microwaving) in America today. I’m grateful my grandmother Rose Dee (mother of Retro Rose) pointed me in her direction and never owned a microwave.

How to Make Ground Beef with Peas and Onions

Ground beef with peas and onions may not exactly be a “depression” dish, but perhaps a bit reminiscent of the peas and pasta dish that blanketed many Italian Americans during the true depression era and even my grandmother’s table.

A sauté of peas and onions is very Italian. You must use olive oil for the right flavor and a good sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Simplicity always requires great ingredients. Peas and onions are good alone, or combined with rice or with potatoes, but with ground beef, it’s dinner.

I will not tell you to mix three kinds of ground meat together to make it more “foodie” or to pretend this is restaurant fare. It’s not. It’s meant to be Sunday night home cooking.

You can use whatever ground meat you desire, even ground lamb would be quite tasty, but this is just ground beef and not extra lean. You want good (I mean animal-treated right) good, ground beef that has some fat in it, because that is where the taste is.

Ground Beef Ideas from Spinach Tiger

I would eat this any time, though because it’s just good food and so would you. Don’t you dare call it hamburger helper or ground beef casserole or I will come and put tape over your mouth and eat this in front of you. It’s rustic, but that doesn’t mean it’s a compromise.

It’s good food, in fact, it’s delicious food that will stretch your budget and your view of ground beef and what fast and affordable can be. Just serve with a nice loaf of crusty bread to sop up the juices, and don’t forget that glass of red wine.

Here is a different version of this recipe, with added greens.

More Ground Beef Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Hamburger Steaks 
• Burger Steak Recipe with Mushroom Sauce
• No Beans Chili
• Ground Beef Taco Meat
• Eggroll in a Bowl
• Ground Beef and Cabbage Decontructed
• Stuffed Cabbage with Ground Beef
• Ground Beef Cabbage Stir Fry
• Picadillo

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Recession Delicious – Italian Ground Beef, Peas and Onions

An easy delicious way to eat ground beef with an Italian twist, green peas, onions.

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 large white onion diced
• 1 pound ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 – 2 cups frozen peas
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon butter
• red chile flakes
• freshly grated parmesan or pecorino optional
• fresh herbs mint, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme…they all work

Instructions

• Heat olive oil and butter. Add onions, saute until soft.
• Add ground beef that has already been flavored with salt and pepper. Cook until medium rare.
• Add in frozen peas, right at end and allow them to defrost and heat up, while the meat is on its way to medium-well done. Toss in fresh herbs, red chile flakes. Season to taste.

Notes

This is an EASY recipe. You may be tempted to keep adding other ingredients, but the simplicity is what gives this dish it’s proper structure and flavor. More is not always more.

The post Italian Ground Beef, Peas and Onions appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Sloppy Joe’s are really sloppy. Made with a crumbled ground beef, ketchup or tomato sauce, mustard, or barbecue sauce, they pack a lot of flavor inside a bun. I remember the grease dripping down and that wasn’t a bad thing.

It’s hard to enjoy a true sloppy Joe if you don’t have a burger bun. Keeping sloppy joe’s a little less greasy, but still sloppy, enjoy these free on your favorite bun or try these carnivore buns which are completely carb free. You’re welcome.

Sloppy Joe’s Sauce

• 1 – 1/2 cup sugar free tomato puree or sugar free tomato sauce
• 1 pound ground beef of your choice (I like 80/20 for this recipe)
• sweetener of your choice (swerve brown sugar) to your sweetness desire
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• salt, pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar free maple syrup (optional)

NOTE: You can use half of tomato sauce and half sugar free barbecue sauce. Add sweetness to your own taste.

Keep it Sweet and Sugar Free

Make sure your tomato passata (puree) is sugar free). Add in some of their delicious barbecue sauce to make it sweet. There are quite a few sugar free barbecue sauces, which make sloppy Joe’s easy to make. G.Hughes is my favorite. These are sold at your local grocery store.

Sloppy Joes are Best on a Burger Bun

You could use traditional buns, but to keep this sugar free, grain free, I love these carnivore buns. Here are some great choices.

• Carnivore Buns
• Keto Tortillas
• Keto Cheddar Grain Free Biscuits

More of My Favorite Ground Beef Recipes

• Cuban Picadillo
• Stuffed Cabbage
• Eggroll in a Bowl

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Sugar Free Sloppy Joe Recipe

Delicious Sugar Free Sloppy Joe Recipe with Low Carb Roll Options

Course Sandwich

Cuisine American

Keyword sloppy Joe’s

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 pound ground beef 80/20
• 1 cup sugar free tomato sauce see notes
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce or red vinegar
• 1 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar free maple syrup or sugar free brown sweetener

Instructions

• In a bowl mix ground beef with salt, pepper, mustard, worchestshire sauce. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and cook onion until softened.
• Add ground beef mixture. Crumble and cook through.
• Add tomato sauce and maple syrup (and sugar free barbecue sauce) if you have it. Add a little bit of water if it seems too dry.
• Simmer on low for 30 minutes. Taste for more seasoning. Adjust sweetness to your taste with monk fruit or more sugar free maple syrup.

Notes

You can add in some sugar free barbecue (1/4 cup) in place of some of the tomato sauce.

A fattier ground beef works best for this kind of recipe for that old school flavor.

The post Sugar Free Sloppy Joes with Low Carb Rolls appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

We absolutely love bolognese, an Italian meat sauce that is cooked very slow on low heat for several hours.

Served with tagliatelle or paparadelle, (wide flat egg noodles), it is the comfort food of all comfort foods. In our house, it disappears fast, and this particular pot of bolognese got rave reviews from the twins who ate bolognese all over Italy. My Homemade Pasta recipe is here.

This is almost the same recipe as this authentic bolognese recipe from Marcella Hazan. It’s still begins with carrots, onion and celery, but we really caramelize the soffrito in this recipe. It still contains milk and white wine, (not red), but everything is added in a different order.

Pancetta is an important ingredient. It isn’t something I can always easily find in my area, and I decided to add my own twist by adding peppered uncured salami from Boar’s Head. This might seem odd, but once chopped very find, and fried, it nearly disappears into the sauce, but not without leaving an added layer of flavor. Did I lose you? I hope not.

Another thing I added to this was chicken stock. You could also use beef stock. The stock helps to thin the bolognese out when it gets too thick, keeping in mind that it has a small amount of tomato sauce and can dry out.

Bolognese can be used for other recipes such as lasagna, crepes, polenta or risotto.

What is Bolognese?

Bolognese is a meat sauce, simmered for hours, made with, soffritto, ground meat, milk, wine and and little bit of tomato. My new recipe adds chicken broth. Additionally you can add pancetta and a dash of nutmeg.

What Kind of Pot Should I Cook Bolognese?

A heavy pot that retains heat, like an enameled cast iron. My favorite is this pot from Le Creuset.

What Meat Should I Use for Bolognese?

You have options here. The best cut of beef is ground chuck, but you can certainly mix ground pork and beef or veal and beef. If you use pork, use 2 parts beef, 1 part pork and make it a fatty pork. All of these combinations work. I would not use ground turkey or ground chicken.

How Long Should I Cook Bolognese?

Cook bolognese on the lowest heat for a long time, no less than 3 hours, making sure it does not dry out. You can use broth or a little water as needed.

Can You Make Bolognese in a Slow Cooker?

Yes, but first you must cook the ingredients on top of the stove. Once you are at the final step and ready to simmer for hours, you can transport your bolognese to a slow cooker. Cook on very low for as long as 6-8 hours if you have the time.

Do You Need to Use Wine in Bolognese?

Wine is one of the main components to push flavor in bolognese. Keep in mind that the alcohol will burn off. If you want to skip the wine, add a tablespoon of white vinegar to the sauce, once you are ready to simmer, and replace the amount of liquid with more broth. Use white wine not red wine which brings a brightness to the dish.

Is Milk Necessary in Bolognese?

Milk is one of the main ingredients of bolognese as it breaks down the connective tissues of the ground beef and acts as a tenderizer. If you do skip, use a very fatty ground beef, or a combination of beef and veal. If you are using veal, use less milk.

Can I Make Bolognese without Tomatoes?

Yes, it’s actually called White Bolognese. We had white bolognese in Montepulciano. The recipe will include the soffritto (carrots, onion, celery) white wine, chicken stock, butter and heavy cream. I plan on making a recipe soon.

What Pasta Goes Best with Bolognese?

The typical pasta for bolognese is tagliatelle, or paparadelle. Make sure you use a bronze cut pasta if store-bought. You can also use a rigatoni macaroni.

What Wine Pairs well with Bolognese?

Although, I use only white wine in the sauce, we drink red wine with the meal. We like a good rich red like Chianti Classico or Sangiovese. Cabernet works well too.

Should Cheese Be Added?

There are no shoulds when it comes to grated cheese, except that either pecorino romano or parmesan should be freshly grated at the table. We like Pecorino best; it’s tangy and salty.

Can You Freeze Bolognese?

Yes, so make a double batch and freeze up to three months.

Is Bolognese Really Italian?

Bolognese comes from Bologna and is served throughout Italy. We ate bolognese in Rome, Lucca and White Bolognese in Montepulciano.

What’s the Difference between Bolognese and Ragu?

Some will say no difference. I differentiate ragu from bolognese in my recipes from the time it takes to cook. For example, my sausage ragû is a meat sauce that I make quickly.

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Variations on Bolognese

• Peach and Pork Bolognese
• Spaghetti Bolognese with Pork
• Italinan Sloppy Joe’s Bolognese
• Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese

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New Red Bolognese Recipe

Bolognese Recipe with All Your Bolognese Questions Answered

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Bolognese

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoons butter plus 2 T for tossing pasta
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 2 pounds ground beef chuck mixed with salt and pepper before cooking
• 8 ounces pancetta See notes
• black pepper freshly ground
• salt
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
• 2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes with juice chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock more as needed
• freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese at the table

Instructions

• On medium heat, add oil, butter, onion, until translucent.
• Add celery, carrots and cook on low until all is caramelized. This will add a lot of flavor. Once cooked, remove to a bowl. Set aside.
• In the pot you will be making the bolognese, cook meat. Sautè chopped pancetta or peppered salami. Salt meat. Add ground meat and satue Sautè meat separately until cooked completely.
• Add milk until cooked through on low about 10 minutes.
• Add nutmeg.
• Add the vegetables and mix through.
• Add the white wine and cook for about 10 minutes until alcohol is cooked off.
• Add the tomatoes, crushed with your hands.
• Add chicken stock. Cook on low for 3 hours and add more stock as necessary.
  

Notes

This recipe is a double batch, which I recommend, as you will eat it all. You can freeze, or make other dishes with it, such as bolognese sliders.

I sometimes substitute Boar’s Head peppered salami (about 4 ounces) instead of pancetta. 

The post What is Bolognese? All Your Questions Answered and a New Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Our table had been host to ground beef stuffed bell peppers three times that summer, and there was a fourth time as we picked some peppers from our garden.

I made a fresh tomato sauce from garden tomatoes for this dish, but you can use canned tomatoes to make this homemade tomato sauce.

I have never been a green bell pepper fan, always choosing the red or yellow peppers, but when baked slowly in tomato, and filled with a meat filling, they are a summer food with winter comfort. Ground beef stuffed bell peppers take a little more prep than many of my dishes, because I take the time to blanch the peppers.  I use a dutch oven with the lid to bake them for about an hour, and then I take the lid off to brown them a little bit.

The Meat Recipe is Similar to Italian Meatballs

I season the meat the same way I make meatballs, using bread, Italian cheese, fresh parsley and basil. I do make a paleo option for myself, skipping the bread. The peppers continue to cook in the tomato sauce and the beef takes on the flavor of both. This is so good that even people I know who don’t like bell pepper (me included) love this dish.

This is a basic stuffed peppers recipe that offers you many options using one technique.

There are Several Options for Stuffed Peppers

Choose your grain or no grain.  While many stuffed peppers recipes add rice to the beef, I have never like that combination, as I don’t like rice with tomato sauce. You can replace the bread with rice, but I find the bread gives a much more satisfying texture. You can use bread crumbs instead of bread pieces if that’s what you have.

Paleo Option: I made some of the peppers (for me) with a paleo option, just skipping the bread and cheese altogether. Add in extra olive oil to the meat for moisture.

Sausage or Ground Pork Option: On of the three times I added in some ground sausage to the ground beef for extra flavor, or you could add in ground pork. The ratio is up to you. I recommend 1/4 pound sausage to 3/4 pound beef.

Ground Turkey Option: You can substitute ground turkey for the beef. In that case, add in some olive oil, as ground turkey does not have the flavor of ground beef or the fat. You can pump up the flavor by doubling the cheese, and adding in more aromatic herbs such as sage and rosemary.

Ground Beef option: You might be wondering what kind of ground beef to use for the ground beef stuffed bell peppers. I used grass fed beef, which is on the lean side, but your favorite ground beef will be fine.

More Ground Beef Recipes

• Ground Beef with Peas (most popular post)
• Ground Beef with Cabbage Stir Fry
• Easy Hamburger Steak Recipe
• Cuban Picadillo

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Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef, Tomato Sauce

An Italian version of Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers with Paleo Option.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 6 large Bell Peppers
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 4 slices bread torn or 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs(optional)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 onion diced, sauteed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• generous helping black pepper
• 4 to 6 cups tomato sauce recipe using canned tomatoes here or fresh tomatoes here

Instructions

• Cut tops off bell pepper. Save to use later if you want to, cut out seeds.
• Blanch peppers in boiling water for five minutes to soften.
• Remove, put in ice bath, cool.
• Mix ground beef with eggs, bread or breadcrumbs, parsley, cheese, salt and pepper.
• Stuff peppers.
• Put tomato sauce into baking dish. I used a dutch oven. You can use either a baking dish or dutch oven. The sauce should come about half way up the peppers.
• Put in oven at 400 degrees uncovered for twenty minutes. Reduce heat to 325. Cover and bake for at least one more hour, or until peppers are softened.

The post Ground Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Happy Fall everyone. As soon as school starts and the weather cools, I start to crave meatloaf.

This is the southern meatloaf recipe I grew up on, with one twist. When I was in college, a friend named Matt, made meatloaf with me and insisted we use oats instead of bread crumbs, and that’s been my meatloaf secret ever since.

If you want to make this keto friendly, add one cup of almond flour instead of oats.

What Meat Makes a Good Meatloaf

People argue back and forth over what ground meat is appropriate for a meatloaf and it really depends on what you’re looking for. I like flavor, and I’m not opposed to mixing in some ground pork or ground lamb, if I happen to have it. Generally, though I use a mix of lean and fatty beef. If I’m using grass fed beef, (my optimal choice),  I will add in some fat (olive oil) because the meat is so lean.

One of the mistakes people often make with ground beef is packing it too tightly, making it tough. This true for burgers and meatballs too. A gentle touch allows the fat and flavor to move around.

My Key Ingredients for an Authentic Southern Meatloaf Recipe

I like to use vegetables like green bell pepper and onion, but very very finely chopped and most importantly, pre-cooked. The sautè ahead of time busts out the flavor,  and I personally do not like the texture of raw veggies in my meatloaf. You could also finely process zucchini if you needed to add more moisture.

Eggs are a catch 22. You need the egg to hold it together but too many eggs can make it too loose.

Ketchup, Mustard, Worcestershire. These are the flavor boosters. I tend to add a few tablespoons of a ketchup and mustard and a good soak of Worcestershire. I think it’s the anchovies that bring it.  I look for a sugar free ketchup and dijon mustard, but good old yellow mustard is fine too.

We use these gluten free oats which add moisture  and create a wonderful texture.  Oats are also practical. Your mix can be more evenly consistent.

How to Top a Southern Meatloaf

This meatloaf is topped with a can of tomato sauce. This recipe makes two meatloaves that each fit into loaf pans, but I like to make mine free-form.

You will probably see recipes that top meatloaf with barbecue sauce or add maple syrup or brown sugar to ketchup. I don’t care for sweet food, but you can certainly do that. I stick to what I grew up on, and enjoy a more savory take on Southern meatloaf.

Topping: Ketchup or a can of tomato sauce. I like it both ways. I grew up with a tomato sauce topping, but I also like a ketchup topping like this one I made last week. G. Hughes sells a great sugar free ketchup.

Serve Delicious Sides with Southern Meatloaf

Meatloaf simply has to have mashed potatoes (or mashed cauliflower if your watching carbs). Either of these choices makes me feel special, happy, satisfied, and well fed.

• Homemade Mac N Cheese
• No Lumps Mashed Potatoes
• Southern Fried Corn
• Green Beans Almondine
• Easy  Twenty Minute Collard Greens

More Ground Beef Ideas

Ground Beef Recipes for Easy Family Dinners from Spinach Tiger

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Big Fat Healthy Southern Meatloaf, Made with Oats

Southern style meatloaf recipe, moist, and easy simple dinner.

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 10 servings

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds ground beef see notes
• 1 cup gluten free oats
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• 2 tablespoons green bell peppers
• 1 large onion
• 2 tablespoons worcerstershire sauce
• 2 medium sized eggs or 1 extra large egg
• 1 tablespoons chopped parsley
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 small can tomato sauce or 1 cup ketchup

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Keep the ground meat loose. Compacting will make the meatloaf tough.
• Seed and chop bell pepper.
• Dice onion to a fine dice.
• Heat oil in pan. Sautè bell pepper and onion on low for about ten to twenty minutes until very softened.
• You want the vegetables to cook down very fine.
• Once softened, cool.
• Mix all ingredients except the tomato sauce together, keeping the meat loose.
• This recipe will make two meat loafs and will fit into two loaf pans, or you can bake them freehand as I do.
• Form into two loaves. Top with tomato sauce (or ketchup). I like it on the sides also.
• Bake until the temperature reaches 160 degrees inside, about 30 minutes. Allow to sit for ten minutes before cutting, or meatloaf may fall apart. It will continue cooking.
• Meatloaf is extra good, refrigerated and reheated. This is a perfect do ahead meal.

Notes

You can make this recipe keto friendly by replacing the oats with almond flour. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 8

The post Big Fat Healthy Southern Meatloaf Recipe, Made with Oats appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Lately I’ve making keto crepe recipes, sweet, savory, layered and stuffed. This keto crepe cannelloni might be my new favorite. There are many variations for cannelloni, and this version is meat filled.

Stuffed with ground beef and ground pork, mixed with ricotta, pecorino romano and spices, topped with tomato sauce, it tastes authentically Italian.

Almond flour replaces traditional flour and there are no breadcrumbs in the recipe, making this a perfect keto friendly Italian dinner.

You will find some cannelloni recipes that are stuffed with spinach and ricotta the same way I made this spinach crepe lasagna.

Keto crepes are very versatile and once you know how to make these, you can enjoy crepes a number of ways.

The first thing you need to do is make the keto crepes. The more I make them, the better they get and the more I learn. It’s important to have the batter thin enough so you can swirl what you need in your pan and pour the excess back into the batter.

Make a Fast Tomato Sauce

Make a fast tomato sauce with a can of San Marzano Tomatoes. Heat for 20 minutes wiht olive oil, sautèed onion or garlic (to be removed), salt, pepper. Use an immersion blender to blend to a puree. You can also use any tomato sauce of your choice.

More Low Carb Italian Recipe from Spinach Tiger

• Keto Crepe Lasagna
• Eggplant Rollatini
• Eggplant Lasagna
• Italian Meatball Soup

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Keto Crepe Cannelloni with Meat Filling

Low Carb, Keto Crepe Cannelloni with Meat Filling and Ricotta Cheese

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Keyword crepe lasagna, keto lasagna

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Crepe Making Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 540kcal

Ingredients

• 15 ounce ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 3/4 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup pecorino romano cheese grated
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 cup tomato sauce sugar free
• 8 keto crepes

Keto Crepe Recipe

• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 eggs
• baking spray
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

• Mix the meat together with egg, pecorino cheese, salt, pepper and parsley.
• Saute ground meat, breaking it up in pan, until all meat is cooked through.
• Mix ricotta with ground meat.
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use an 9 x 9 baking dish and cut crepes to fit the dish.
• Place meat/ricotta mixture on crepe and roll up.
• Put tomato sauce on bottom of baking pan. Add each rolled stuffed crepe.
• Top with tomato sauce. You may want to add mozzarella cheese on top. That's an option. Top with foil prior to baking.
• Bake at 350 F. for 20 minutes and turn up to 400 degrees for another five minutes. You may need more time if cheese isn't melted enough if using cheese for a topping.

Keto Crepes

• Mix almond flour with salt. Set aside.
• Mix eggs with almond milk, melted butter.
• Add dry mixture. Add a few teaspoons water if you need to thin down crepes.
• Heat crepe pan. I used a 7 inch crepe pan, which made 8 crepes.
  
• Add baking spray. Hold crepe pan off the stove and add 1/4 crepe batter. Swirl around to cover pan. Put back on stove and cook for about 4 minutes on medium. Turn over for about 10 seconds.

  NOTE: Makes up to 10 crepes. If you are using a larger pan, you'll make less crepes and can cut them to fit your baking dish.
  
• Tomato sauce recipe here.

Notes

Macros are for Spinach Version. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 4 | Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 39g | Fiber: 2g

The post Keto Crepe Cannelloni with Meat Filling appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

“I never thought I could fight for anything until there was something I really wanted. Once I found something I wanted badly enough, I never gave up.“

This is clearly one of those times where my husband wanted something badly enough. You see, I’m not a chili fan. I have made many bean soups and much white bean chicken chili, but not the kind he likes. He is like most people in the world, at least in America, as he  can’t go through a winter without having a huge pot of it on the stove at least once. He wanted it.

He learned to make it so well that his five minute, five hour five bean chili has totally won me over.

Yesterday I decided to pay attention to what he did. Right in the beginning I was in disagreement. Why so many different beans? Why not cook the onion first. Why an orange bell pepper? (Of course, being a smart wife, I kept my why’s to myself). He had well thought out answers for my questions. The onion needs to melt into the chili on its own. The orange bell pepper lends sweetness. He spoke like an expert, and I was satisfied.

Why, why, why ended at the dinner table with more, more, more. I sent a bowl home with a friend who can be a picky eater and honest about it. She texted me “this is so good, I can’t stop eating.”

This chili is creamy due to the masa he sprinkled in and the long long cooking time. He cooked it for 7 hours, but says five hours is enough to get that creamy consistency. The meat mixture was interesting, The pork and beef added flavor, and the turkey helped to cut the fat. The orange bell pepper was sweet and the dash of cinnamon was genius. The prep time is really five minutes, if you can chop fast. There is almost no hard work outside of opening several cans.

Usually, Spinach Tiger doesn’t cook from too many cans, and one could make this with dried beans, but that would take a long time and is not necessary. It’s a matter of weighing out the decision to use dry beans as a purist, or the interest of five different kinds. I choose the five.

You can put it all in a crock pot or in a cast iron dutch oven. He made two batches and did both. If you do use a cast iron dutch oven, I recommend a heat of 300 or even less in the oven, so the heat is hitting evenly. If you keep the dutch oven on the stove, turn the heat to as low as you can get it.

I did a little bit of googling and was intrigued with chili history. An entire book or two could be written about the history of chili, the legends, the myths and the abundant number of recipes. I can’t think of a food in America that has drummed up more passion for it’s history or its varying recipes as a bowl of chili.  I imagine there have been many fights, even a few knock outs over recipes and ownership.

Where Did Chili Originate?

• The most debated fact about chile is where and how it exactly originated. It is thought to most likely have started in Texas amongst poor people who had tough pieces of meat that needed flavor and long cooking times. There was no beans at first, and in some circles, beans are still not used. The cowboys heading west gave speed and romance to its popularity.
• Chili was often made and perfected in prison. As prisoners got out, they missed the chili and would write for the recipe. Some even rated prisons according to their chili.
• There were chili queens in San Antonio, who broke the barriers of class. They would set up chili stands and cook meat  and chili peppers into a stew. People of all walks of life would sit next to each other eating a bowl of chili.

Doug’s Process and Recipe for Five Minute, Five Hour, Five Bean Chili

As far as the recipe, Doug makes it differently every time. He says that every new pot of chili  is an experiment. That’s how chili making goes. He has used all ground beef in the past, but decided on three meats this time. He has used only two or three different beans in the past, but has settled upon five kinds.

There are as many chili recipes as the cooks making them, actually more, because every chili cook has several recipes they use. That’s the beauty of chili making. He suggests always using the masa, plenty of onion, and cooking a long long time.

There are two other important topics when it comes to chili. How hot (spicy) and what bread or cracker do you have to have.

Heat is another topic altogether. He always makes two pots, a mild and a super spicy. You have to find your own level of heat. I don’t like to cry when I eat chili so I go for the mild, and he goes for the hot. Many folks like cornbread with their chili. He goes for crackers, and I like soft buttered bread. Again, chili sparks arguments, but that’s part of the fun

Two New Variations on Chili

We have two new chili recipes for you, one is a 30-minute black eyed peas and sausage chili and one is a paloe, keto friendy bean free chili!

No Beans, Made with Ground Beef, Sausage, Paleo, Low Carb, Keto, Grain Free

30-Minute Country Sausage, Black Eyed Peas Chili 

So tell me, do you have a special chili recipe, and do you like it mild, medium or super hot?

More Beans Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Chicken and White Bean Soup
• Lentil Sausage Soup
• Cowboy Caviar Bean Appetizer
• Duck Confit wth Lentils
• Pork and White Beans

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Doug’s Cold Weather Crock Pot Chili

5 Bean, 3 meat chili with a few special ingredients, resulting in perfect creamy blend of meat, heat and beans.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Doug Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 can black Beans see note on beans
• 1 can kidney Beans
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 can red Beans
• 1 can pinto peans
• 1 ground chuck need a fatty beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 extra large orange pepper can use green, or red
• 1 large can diced tomatoes petite dice is best
• 2 large onions diced
• 1 red chili pepper seeded and diced (or any pepper of your choice)
• 1 chili starter mix option or the following seasonings:
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne powder more or less to your taste
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• dash cinnamon this is not in chili starter mix
• sea salt
• ground pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons masa use for thickness, if needed

Instructions

• Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown the meat. in small pieces in frying pan. Maintain the fat of the meat. This will add flavor!
• Rinse the beans with water to reduce the sodium; however you can put the cans in as is with the juice.
• Put in crock pot. Add tomatoes, peppers, onion and seasonings, except the masa.
• If you don’t use a chili starter kit, use the spice ingredients that followed. Taste and adjust to your own liking.
• Sprinkle the masa after the chili has cooked for 2 hours.
• Continue to cook in low setting of crock pot for 5 more hours.
• Note: It’s not necessary to cook the chili this long, but cook the chili at least four hours.
• Serve with grated cheddar cheese and sour cream, if desired. I find this chili so rich due to the masa, that sour cream isn’t necessary.
• Note on beans: You need the to use kidney beans and black beans, but feel free to mix your beans as you please.

The post Doug’s Five Minute, Five Hour, Five Bean Chili appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I think I might be a little blessed because while the Spinach Tiger loves steak, I have a crush on ground beef and never seem to run out of ground beef ideas. If you have some great ideas, leave them in the comments.

Good ground beef has fat and flavor which is quite satisfying, and as long as I can get my hands on grass fed, high quality ground beef without sticker shock,  I’d rather eat ground beef than just about anything.

My crush has led to many ground beef ideas over the years, from fast and easy to slow and fussy and even recipes for a party. You could use ground turkey in these recipes, keeping in mind, you will need to add in more flavor, more fat (olive oil), and you could substitute ground lamb. Play around and always be sure to tell me if you have a great ground beef recipe.

The Fast and Easy Ground Beef Ideas

Personal Favorite

Our all time favorite dish is Ground Beef with Peas and Sauteed Onion. You can choose to add in a starch such as rice, potatoes or pasta, but we like it just like this.

Eventually, I jumped off into other ground beef stir fries, using kale or spinach and even adding in pancetta in this Italian Stir Fry

Ground Beef in Soup/Chili

• Italian Meatball Wedding Soup
• Italian Meatball Soup in Tomato Broth
• Ground Beef Five Bean Chili
• No Bean Chili

Ground Beef Ideas for Dinner

• Ground Beef Stroganoff
• Spaghetti Squash with Bolognese
• Picadillo
• Ground Beef Taco Meat
• Easy Shepherd’s Pie
• Crack Slaw with Comeback Sauce
• Easy Hamburger Steaks
• Hamburger Steaks with Wine Mushroom Sauce

Italian Dinners with Ground Beef

• Three Cheese Spaghetti Squash Lasagna with Meatballs and Sausage
• Bolognese Sauce (Five Different Recipes)

Ground Beef Ideas for Your Next Party

Meatballs with Blueberry Pear Compote a recipe from La Cucina Italia, an Italian Magazine and it’s so delicious and a great demonstration that meatballs can travel down many roads in Italy.

Stuff it Ground Beef Ideas

Stuffed Peppers, one of the dishes we make a lot!

Feta Stuffed Lamb Meatballs with Pistachio Pesto

These are just some of my ground beef recipes. I make meatloaf, burgers, stuffed cabbage, lettuce wraps  and other  ground beef dishes, but for some reason I’ve never posted their recipes. Once I do, I’ll add them in. If you have a good ground beef link (not a tater tot type recipe), leave it in the comments.

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Ricotta Stuffed Meatballs

Ricotto stuffed meatballs, great for an entree or party dish.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons parsley chopped finely
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese or pecorino romano
• 1 egg
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt or more
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Mix beef with 1 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons cheese, and egg.
• Mix Ricotta cheese with remaining parsley, cheese
• Season both meat mixture and cheese mixture with salt and pepper.
• Use about a tablespoon of meat mixture, Flatten and place ricotta cheese in middle. Form into meatball.
• Continue making small meatballs.
• Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

The post Ground Beef Ideas for Easy Family Dinners appeared first on Spinach Tiger.