Minimal effort for maximum satisfaction, every mom's dream when it comes to those fast weekday dinners, am I right? As a wife, homeschooling mom of 2 kiddoes (aren't we all homeschooling these days?) and a busy doula, quick dinners are basically my fantasy come true. Ground beef is cheap and incredibly versatile. I'm pretty sure the butcher at my local Whole Foods recognizes me as "the lady that buys 3 pounds of the stuff every 2 weeks". Hey, we all have our calling cards, (insert shrug here). Here are 3 easy ground beef dinners that I make for my little family all the time. I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old and nobody leaves the table hungry after one of these dinners!
Greek Ground Beef on Hummus and Pita
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Cucumber and tomato salad
1 hothouse cucumber, small dice
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
About 1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
In a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, start to brown the beef, using a fork to really brake down the beef. Next add the garlic and the spices and cook till the beef is browned through.
For the salad, simply toss everything together in a bowl and set aside.
To serve, warm up a piece of nan bread and spread your favorite hummus on top, next spoon over the beef and top with the cucumber and tomato salad. I also love serving this with a side of sweet potato fries!
Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Feeds 4-6 people
Coconut Curry Meatballs
Ingredients:
For the meatballs
1 pound ground beef
1 small white onion, small diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
Pinch of red chili flake
olive oil
For the coconut broth
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons curry past
1 14oz can coconut milk
Method:
In a large sauté pan drizzled with olive oil, sauté the onions, garlic and spices till the onion are translucent. Next, add everything to a bowl and mix till just combined. Don't go crazy here, over mixing will create tough meatballs, no bueno! Next, shape small golf ball size meatballs, you should get about 12-14 meatballs. Using the same sauté pan, drizzle more olive oil and arrange all the meatballs in a circle around the outside on the pan. Let them brown on one side, turn them over and then add the coconut milk, fresh ginger, lime juice and curry past using a small whisk or fork combine the ingredients for the broth and let it come to a simmer. Cover with a lid and let cook for 15-20 minutes.
Serve over a bed of cuscus with your favorite bitter green.
Feeds 4-6 people
Ginger Beef Over Rice
Ingredients:
4 medium yellow squash, sliced thin
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 10,oz bottle hoisin sauce
Method:
In a large sauté pan add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and sauté the squash till they have a nice brown color then remove from the pan and set aside. Next, add the rest of the peanut oil, ground beef and garlic. Use a fork to crumble the beef into small bits as it cooks. Once the beef is brown and most of the liquid has evaporated add the fresh ginger and the whole bottle of hoisin sauce. Let it simmer for a few minutes then add the squash back in and toss it about to cote the squash in the sauce. Serve over rice with a side of sliced pickled radishes. Enjoy!
Feeds 4-6 people
I sure hope you give these a try! I want you to think of me as your virtual doula! Drop me a line here if you have any questions. Or if you want to stay in the loop and never miss another blog post, just click here. Come on you know you want to!
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