If you're a red meat lover, it may be hard to imagine ever growing tired of a juicy burger. But variety is the spice of life, as they say, and yes, even ground beef could use a tasty twist once in a while.
These recipes feature lean ground beef in some less traditional but just as delicious ways.
Triple Layer Lasagna
What's more comforting than beefy, cheesy, hearty lasagna? This three-layered version contains mushrooms for added meaty texture and a dose of filling fibre. All those tomatoes—not to mention the tomato sauce—mean lots of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant thought to help ward off heart problems. (Surprise! These six foods are great for your heart too.)
Get the full recipe here.
Beef and Black Bean Chili
Chili can often be a slow and laborious process (although always with delicious payoff), but this filling meal is ready in less than 45 minutes. The black beans are loaded with fibre and a good source of folate, a B vitamin your body needs to make DNA (which is why pregnant women especially need it). Thanks to the chili powder and jalapeño peppers, you're also getting some heat, which can rev up metabolism helping you burn more calories.
Quick-and-Easy Bibimbap
This Korean rice bowl is surprisingly simple to throw together, plus it's full of flavour. One seasoning with big health benefits: ginger. The grated spice can quell pain and ease post-dinner bloating. If you're not yet familiar with gochujang sauce, think of it as the next Sriracha—in other words, soon to be everywhere. Find it in Asian markets, international food aisles of your grocery store, or online.
Eggplant Stuffed with Savoury Beef
Purple foods are having a moment, and this eggplant-based beef dish is no exception. Purple picks contain powerful anti-inflammatory compounds called anthocyanins—also found in superfoods like blueberries and acai—which are thought to help lower blood pressure and heart disease risk.
Tortilla Soup
Enjoy Mexican flavours without leaving your kitchen. Coriander, cumin, chili and bay leaf dazzle the taste buds without adding extra calories. Plus, baking your own crunchy tortilla strips cuts back on salt and fat from store-bought versions. Top with refreshing avocado for a hit of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
Spicy Beef Baked Penne
Fat-free ricotta and reduced-fat mozzarella cut back on fat from a classic pasta bake without sacrificing any ooey-gooey goodness. Using multigrain instead of regular white penne means you're getting extra fibre, helpful for digestion and also for staying fuller for longer. Pro tip: Any macaroni-style pasta will do, like shells, rotini or farfalle.
Pasta Bolognese
This will be your new go-to meat sauce. The porcini mushrooms add a rich, earthy flavour and also filling fibre and extra iron, crucial for building muscle and healthy blood flow. Plant-based iron like that in mushrooms is absorbed best when eaten alongside some vitamin C; you'll get plenty in the no-salt tomato sauce.
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