No sugar added sloppy joes

When my first child started eating, I started paying attention to the things that are in our food. I was mainly looking at added sugar and realized there is A LOT of unnecessary added sugars and preservatives in our food! So I began my real food journey. While not everything we eat is perfect, it's so much better than if I had never started looking into it at all. Before kids, my husband and I would eat Manwich pretty regularly. I was mortified to see that not only does it contain sugar, but it also has high fructose corn syrup! I knew I could make something healthier. I use roasted vegetables that are naturally sweet to add that sweet flavor as well as fiber and nutrients. After they are roasted, I add the vegetables to the blender to make a sauce that will coat browned ground beef or venison. My family likes to smear mayonnaise on the bread, top with the meat, add jalapeños, and eat it open face style!

What you’ll need:

• 1 Tbsp butter

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 lb. Ground beef or ground venison

• 1/3 bell pepper (red, green, yellow, orange, or mix), diced

• 1/2 large sweet onion, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 2/3 cup roasted veggie purée

• 1/3 cup of water

• 1 tsp yellow mustard

• 3/4 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the roasted veggie purée:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1 whole head of garlic, top cut off

  
  

• 1 medium yellow summer squash or zucchini, cut into slices

• 1/2 sweet onion, quartered

• 1 peeled carrot, sliced

• ~10 cherry or grape tomatoes

• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

Instruction

Roasted veggie purée:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Place the head of garlic, squash, onion, carrot, and tomatoes on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then add salt and pepper. Give it a good mix.

• Roast the vegetables for 25-30 minutes, until fragrant and softened, flipping halfway.

• Remove the vegetables and allow to cool slightly.

• Add them to a blender, making sure to squeeze the garlic out of its skin. Discard the garlic skins.

• Blend on medium speed, adding the vinegar as you go. If it is too thick, add water a tbsp at a time. It should become a smooth purée.

• It should taste slightly vinegary, as we are trying to replicate a ketchup flavor. Add more vinegar, if needed.

Sloppy joes:

• Heat butter and oil in large skillet over MED/MED-HIGH heat.  Add meat and brown, breaking apart into crumbles as it cooks, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to colander to drain.

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• Add onion and bell pepper to same skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, until soft.  Add garlic and cook 30 seconds or so, until fragrant. 

• Add meat back to the skillet and add tomato paste.  Stir well.

• Add veggie purée, water, mustard, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, red pepper flakes (if using), and black pepper.  Stir well to combine.

  
  

• Cook over MED heat for 10-15 minutes, until mixture has thickened to your liking.  Remove from heat and serve over bread.