beef

It’s no secret… I LOVE Italian food, and I’m a HUGE fan of pasta.

I always order the Jenny pasta dishes, and it’s pretty frequent that I’m trying new Italian dishes here at the house. It’s such comfort food and such a treat, I love finding healthy alternatives to some of the calorie-rich treats of the past. This dish was UNBELIEVABLE, and the perfect sauce to have in the crockpot on a snowy day.

The recipe itself comes from Gina over at Skinnytaste. I’ve looked at this recipe SO MANY TIMES, but I’ve never had the pancetta on hand to make it. The night before the snow rolled in, I made it a point to pick up pancetta and extra lean ground beef. I’m so glad that I did!

Somewhere between a bacon and a ham…. this stuff rocks!

Note: My version of this sauce yielded a different amount of servings than Gina’s, and yours may come out slightly different as well. Always measure out your sauce to be sure you’re eating the calories you’re expecting. I made half of the recipe Gina posted originally and adjusted the nutritional information based upon what my version created.

Crockpot Bolognese Sauce

From Skinnytaste

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

2 oz pancetta, chopped (or center cut bacon)

1/2 large white onion, minced

1 celery stalks (about 3/4 cup), minced

1 carrots (about 3/4 cup), minced

1 lb 95% lean ground beef

2 Tbsp. white wine

1 – 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 bay leaves

salt and fresh pepper

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup half & half cream, fat-free

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large deep saute pan sprayed with cooking spray, sauté pancetta on low heat until the fat melts, about 4-5 minutes.

2. Add onions, celery and carrots and cook on medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Note: To mince the celery, onion, and carrots, I used my food processor to create that finely chopped effect!

3. In a separate pan sprayed with cooking spray, add meat, season with salt and pepper and sauté until browned. Once meat is browned, drain and rinse. Place in a food processor and grind to a fine texture.

4. Add beef to the vegetable mixture. Add wine; cook until it reduces down, about 3-4 minutes.

5. Add meat mixture to crock pot. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, salt and pepper; cover and set slow cooker to LOW 6 hours.

6. After the 6 hours, adjust salt and pepper to taste.

7. Add half and half and parsley.

8. Stir and serve over 2 ox. of your favorite pasta or spaghetti squash.

Per 1/2 cup serving (sauce only):

CAL 183; CARB 12g; FAT 7g; PROT 20g; FIB 2g; WW Points Plus: 5

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I really would have liked to have shared one more recipe using the delicious Popchips tortilla chips that are part of this week’s giveaway. But, my stash of Popchips has vanished! Meaning, that I’ve sadly eaten them all…

If you haven’t entered yet, by the way… click here to enter!

In the absence of my new favorite chip, I was forced to move to a different type of cuisine. Quickly, I found myself craving Mongolian Beef. How better to enjoy Mongolian Beef than with a yummy low-fat, low-calorie version? I can’t think of anything better.

I’ve had a recent obsession with quinoa, so I used quinoa instead of rice in my healthier version of this recipe. When you choose quinoa, get ready for a protein rich and really filling grain. I’ll show you how to make it in the below as well. You’re going to love it!

Mongolian Beef

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound flank steak, trimmed and cut crosswise into thin strips
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Toasted sesame seeds
1 cup dry quinoa

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Measure out your quinoa and place in a strainer. Rinse thoroughly.

2. Place rinsed quinoa and 2 1/4 cups of water in a rice cooker. Note: See rice cooker instruction books to determine cooking time and water proportions. My rice cooker shuts off once the liquid has been absorbed.

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add green onions, and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute.

4. Add beef, and cook 5 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring frequently.

5. While beef cooks, combine water and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl.

6. Pour mixture over beef, cook 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened and beef is cooked through.

7 Garnish with sesame seeds if desired. Serve with 1/2 cup quinoa (optional.)

Per 1 cup serving:

CAL 234, FAT 11g; FIB 0.7g

Note: If you add the quinoa, adjust your nutritional information according to the package labeling. I added 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa in the picture above.

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