Sloppy Joe's in a Bowl

I have never had a traditional Sloppy Joe.  It is well known that I am not much of a red meat kind of person.  I do try to get some in here and there because I believe that a good quality, grass fed, beef is good for you but sometimes I just can't hack it.  I have had this recipe (and the ingredients) for quite some time now.  My husband made mention a while back of wanting Sloppy Joe's- he doesn't remember so it very well could have been a joke but I went on a little search.  I was pleasantly surprised when one of the blogs I frequent had a recipe for "The Healthy $1 menu- Sloppy Joe's in a Bowl".  Perfect- low cost- not the traditional canned stuff or whatever it is- and looking over the recipe it looked like I would maybe even like it. 

And... it was good.  My whole family liked it.  It was nice to have something a little different- give my hubby a little old time taste- and now my kids and I can say we have had Sloppy Joe's well, kind of.

Sloppy Joe’s In A Bowl

2 cups dry brown basmati rice
2 cups clean water plus 4 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
2 cups stock
2 pounds grass-fed ground beef (or ground buffalo)
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
3/4 cup filtered water
1 can tomato paste
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons raw honey
garnishes: sliced olives, thinly sliced or diced onions, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, and/or homemade cultured dairy, chopped cilantro, shredded raw cheese

In a 2 to 3 quart pot, soak the rice in the 2 cups of water and raw apple cider vinegar overnight. The next day, add the 2 cups stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all liquid is absorbed and grains are fluffy and tender. This will be about a half hour if the grains have soaked overnight. Remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

While rice is cooking, put the ground beef in a 4 to 6 quart stock pot. Over medium heat, brown the beef. Add onions and garlic. Saute until soft. In a 4 cup measuring cup, whisk together: water, tomato paste, sea salt, pepper, olive oil, and honey. Add sauce mixture to meat. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Fill bowls with rice, then meat sauce, then desired garnishes. The picture shows a Sloppy Joe’s bowl garnished with diced shredded homemade goat cheese, diced onions, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, and a drizzle of sour cream.

Recipe Notes:
My garnishes of choice were tomatoes, lettuce, and a light sprinkle of the cheese.  It added a light freshness.  The rice was delicious!!!  I am actually going to start soaking some just to have on hand plain.  We have been eating the short brown lately and this was a nice treat- so don't skimp out on the basmati...  If you are local Dixie Nutrition sales this in bulk that way you can just get the two cups to try or buy lots more (I suggest lots more if you eat a lot of rice!).