We used frozen broccoli with this dish. Frozen vegetables are great to keep on hand for nights you need to put together something quick. While canned vegetables tend to lose a lot of nutrients during the preservation process (notable exceptions include tomatoes and pumpkin), frozen vegetables may be even more healthful than some of the fresh produce sold in supermarkets, says Gene Lester, Ph.D., a plant physiologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Center in Weslaco, Texas. Why? Fruits and vegetables chosen for freezing tend to be processed at their peak ripeness, a time when—as a general rule—they are most nutrient-packed.

While the first step of freezing vegetables—blanching them in hot water or steam to kill bacteria and arrest the action of food-degrading enzymes—causes some water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C and the B vitamins to break down or leach out, the subsequent flash-freeze locks the vegetables in a relatively nutrient-rich state.

On the other hand, fruits and vegetables destined to be shipped to the fresh-produce aisles around the country typically are picked before they are ripe, which gives them less time to develop a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Outward signs of ripening may still occur, but these vegetables will never have the same nutritive value as if they had been allowed to fully ripen on the vine. In addition, during the long haul from farm to fork, fresh fruits and vegetables are exposed to lots of heat and light, which degrade some nutrients, especially delicate vitamins like C and the B vitamin thiamin. (Source)

This meal is a great alternative to Hamburger Helper and can be prepared in almost the same amount of time. If you are curious, here are the ingredients in the Hamburger Helper Beef Pasta box. Items highlighted in red are likely GMO.

Enriched pasta (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
Corn Starch
Maltodextrin
Salt
Enriched Flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
Dried Onion
Monosodium Glutamate
Color (caramel color, yellow 5 lake, yellow 5)
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (corn, wheat, soy)
Potassium Chloride
Yeast Extract
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
Natural Flavor
Spice
Monoglycerides
Sugar
Beef Stock
Corn Syrup
Disodium Inosinate
Disodium Guanylate
Beef Fat
Sulfiting Agents
Garlic
Soy Sauce (soybeans, wheat, salt)
Silicon Dioxide

If you have used Hamburger Helper in the past, I hope this recipe is helpful to you!

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Ground Beef and Broccoli

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

See Detailed Nutrition Info on

Whole Food. Real Food. Good Food.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp ghee
• 2 pounds organic grass-fed ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 12 oz frozen organic broccoli (cooked)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Melt ghee in pan over medium heat.
2. Cook onions for about 5 minutes, until tender.
3. Crumble beef in pan, add garlic powder, salt & pepper, cook until brown.
4. Add cooked broccoli.
5. Enjoy!

Ground Beef and Broccoli

2 tbsp ghee
2 pounds organic grass-fed ground beef
1 onion, chopped
12 oz frozen organic broccoli (cooked)
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Melt ghee in pan over medium heat.
2. Cook onions for about 5 minutes, until tender.
3. Crumble beef in pan, add garlic powder, salt & pepper, cook until brown.
4. Add cooked broccoli.
5. Enjoy!

To receive daily health tips and gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and sugar-free meal/snack ideas, like us at www.facebook.com/wholefoodrealfood.

Eat Better. Feel Better.

When purchasing your tomato paste, make sure the bottle is made of glass or that the can is produced without BPA.  We use Bionaturae Organic Tomato Paste, the cans are lined with clear, protective lining and are lead free.  When we use tomato sauce (not needed for this recipe), we purchase Muir Glen Organic Tomato Sauce, No Salt Added because the lining of their cans are produced without BPA. “The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, or BPA, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Studies show that the BPA in most people’s bodies exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. You can get 50 micrograms of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young. Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Eden Organic and Bionaturae. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, such as Trader Joe’s and Pomi.” http://www.rodale.com/food-ingredients-avoid

Here is a great reference for BPA free canned food brands: http://bpafreecannedfood.wordpress.com/bpa-free-canned-food-brands/
Here is a BPA Canned Food Pocket Guide to take with you to the store: http://bpafreecannedfood.wordpress.com/bpa-free-pocket-guide/

The Breast Cancer Fund and Silent Spring Institute found that BPA levels in families who ate fresh instead of canned or plastic-packaged food for THREE days dropped by 60%!

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Slow-Cooker Beef Ragu

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes

Number of servings: 6-8

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Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves (or 3 teaspoons dried)
• 1 beef chuck roast (4 pounds), halved (preferably grass-fed, organic)
• Himalayan pink salt and ground pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

Instructions

1. In a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker, combine onion, garlic, tomato paste, and oregano.
2. Season roast with salt and pepper and place on top of onion mixture. Add 2 cups water, cover, and cook on high until meat is tender and can easily be pulled apart with a fork, 4 1/2 hours (or 9 hours on low).
3. Let cool 10 minutes, then shred meat in slow cooker with 2 forks and stir in vinegar to taste.

Notes:

Purchase all organice ingredients if possible. I have made this on the high and the low setting. The meat was more tender on the low setting.

Print Spaghetti Squash recipe here.

Slow-Cooker Beef Ragu ~ Recipe adapted from Everyday Food, March 2012

Ingredients (purchase organic ingredients if possible):

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves (or 3 teaspoons dried)
• 1 beef chuck roast (4 pounds), halved (preferably grass-fed, organic)
• Himalayan pink salt and ground pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1. In a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker, combine onion, garlic, tomato paste, and oregano.

2. Season roast with salt and pepper and place on top of onion mixture. Add 2 cups water, cover, and cook on high until meat is tender and can easily be pulled apart with a fork, 4 1/2 hours (or 9 hours on low).

3. Let cool 10 minutes, then shred meat in slow cooker with 2 forks and stir in vinegar to taste.

Spaghetti Squash

2 whole spaghetti squash
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Himalayan pink salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Split the squashes in half and scrape out seeds. Line an oven tray with aluminum foil. Season the spaghetti squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. (You will notice one of my halves is missing pepper — I leave pepper off the one I serve to the kids).

3. Place flesh side down and roast for 30 to 40 minutes until fully cooked.

4. Remove from the oven and let rest until cool enough to handle.

5. When squash is cool enough to handle, using a large kitchen spoon scrape the strands of squash from the inside of the skin.
6. Serve the Ragu over the squash.  Enjoy!

To receive daily health tips and gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and sugar-free meal/snack ideas, like us at www.facebook.com/wholefoodrealfood.

“When you know better, you do better.”