Sloppy Joes (Leslie’s Version)
Equipment
- Pizza Peel
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp oil divided
- 1 lb ground turkey or ground beef optional: fold in cubed, extra-firm tofu at the end
- ½ of a medium finally diced onion about ¾ of a cup
- ½ cup finely diced celery (about 1 small stalk
- ½ cup grated carrot about 1 medium carrot
- 1 cup small-diced red or green bell pepper about 1 medium bell pepper
- ½ 1 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic minced (or ½ tsp garlic powder)
- 3 oz tomato paste ½ of a 6-oz can
- 7 8 oz tomato sauce ½ of a 15-oz can
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1 2 Tbsp blackstrap molasses
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 4 cups spinach leaves
- ½ cup finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook the turkey or beef until browned and cooked through. Remove from the pan. If using tofu, skip this step
- Add the remaining oil, onion, celery, carrot, and bell pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes, splashing in 1–2 Tbsp water at a time to steam and soften the vegetables
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Stir in tomato sauce, cloves, balsamic vinegar, molasses,cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Return meat to the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Fold in the spinach and parsley just before serving until spinach is wilted.
- Serve on a hamburger-stye bun, roasted sweet potato halves or quinoa.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!