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| Photos: Debra Turner (left) and Food & Wine (right) |
Still, we limit how often we eat red meat for a myriad of health and environmental reasons. Listening to the science is wise. Cutting back is not cutting out completely.
Recently I had a pound of 93% lean ground beef I used to grill a one-skillet meal. Easy, fast, spicy, and with little cleanup. The recipe I created below is just a guide. The ground beef I bought was on sale the day I went to the supermarket. Use 80%, 85%, 90% ground beef as they all work. Also, you can toss in or omit vegetables and/or spices to satisfy your tastes. You don't have to make ground beef and potatoes exactly the same way every time.
Ground Beef and Potatoes Skillet Dinner
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
2 medium potatoes, diced small to cook faster
1 medium onion, diced small
2 celery ribs, sliced thin
2 mini bell peppers, diced small
2 large fresh mushrooms, cut up
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon mustard
4 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried garlic (or chopped fresh garlic)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
a sprinkle of red pepper flakes
a good sprinkle of Worchestershire sauce
a good sprinkle of soy sauce
3 cut slices of extra sharp cheddar cheese, or your favorite cheese
Directions:
2) When about medium done, I tossed in the diced potatoes, celery and onions. Smaller diced potatoes and vegetables will tenderize faster than larger chunks.
3) I tossed in the bell peppers and mushrooms and let the ground beef, potatoes, and vegetables cook covered on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes longer.
4) Next, while the vegetables were still tenderizing, I added the water, mustard, ketchup, Worchestershire sauce, soy sauce, and spices. At low-medium heat, simmer until the potatoes are soft. I may not always use mustard and ketchup as flavors, or next time I may toss in fresh spinach leaves, who knows?
5) Finally, I plated the dish and topped it with cheddar cheese, microwaving it for 1 minute to melt the cheese.
Alternatively, you could sprinkle it with dried Parmesan cheese to avoid slicing cheese. Mozzarella cheese works. Chopped onions instead of cheese works. Hot sauce works. Leftovers can be eaten with different mixed vegetables to seem like a new entrée instead of leftovers. You do you!
A fast, healthy, no-fuss meal. Bon Appétit!
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In the summer, I’ll make a salmon salad or sandwiches once a week. Cans of wild Alaska salmon sold in the USA make a healthy dinner.
Salmon, Avocado and Chickpea - Dip, Salad, or Sandwich
Ingredients
1 avocado, mashed
1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 small bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vinegar of your choice
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
1) Mash the avocado and chickpeas. Chunky is fine.
2) Mix in the salmon, diced vegetables, vinegar, olive oil, and spices.
Use the salmon mixture as a dip for crackers, on 2 slices of whole grain bread, or mixed into a green salad.
This will make an easy summer dinner and a great alternative to making salmon patties, my usual salmon dinner. I like stocking my pantry with cans of wild Alaskan salmon to make a fast meal without running to the supermarket. On summer nights, you can eat this meal with a glass of wine and very little cleanup! Start with a cheese platter as an appetiser and finish with fresh fruit as dessert if you wish.
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