A Less Messed up Joe

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Now playing: Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Sloppy Joe
via FoxyTunes




I present a less messy Joe, at least less messy on the inside....

This one is made with a homemade filling recipe, rather than the canned sauce alternative. It is just healthier that way. One of the first ingredients on the popular canned variety of Sloppy Joe sauce is high fructose corn syrup. I add sugar and other natural sweeteners to my savory foods (flavour balances), but not in high enough quantities so as to be listed 2nd on an ingredient list! It isn't dessert, is it?

http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2009/10/28/manwich-sloppy-joe-sauce-nutritious-inside-the-label/

http://stanford.wellsphere.com/healthy-eating-article/manwich-rsquo-s-fuzzy-math/878781



1 lb. ground beef (or other types of mince for that matter- buffalo, elk, turkey etc.)
2 lrg. cans tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, or several fresh tomatoes small, cored and seeded, diced
1 onion - roasted, then small diced
2 bell peppers- roasted, then small diced
1 cloved crushed garlic
3 tbsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Small dollop of tamarind paste
Pinch or two of brown sugar
A couple splashes of vinegar
A couple dashes of Worchestershire sauce
1/2 head of red cabbage, shredded

Brown the meat and drain the fat ( I even rinse mine clean the pan before adding it back), Add the onion, peppers and garlic, brown a few minutes more. Then add the tomato products. Spice and season it up with remaining ingredients. This mixture is even better if served the next day and all the flavours meld.

A note about using canned tomato products, sometimes canned produce can be higher in nutrition. Canned tomatoes are a good case for this. I added fresh tomatoes to the sauce for a brighter, fresher taste. Don't feel bad about canned tomatoes....Well, watch for lower salt and quality brands.

"Canned tomatoes and tomato sauces are among the best sources of lycopene. Lycopene, found in tomatoes and many other red-pigmented fruits and vegetables, may help protect against certain cancers. The heat from the canning process allows lycopene in tomatoes to be better absorbed in the body."

http://www.mealtime.org/content.aspx?id=182

To summarise/summarize:

*Homemade filling
*Shredded red cabbage for even more fiber and vitamins
*Whole Wheat buns- Toast them!

You can enjoy comfort foods with high doses of nutrition!