15 in 3: Dinner 11 Sloppy Joes with Sugar Snap Peas & Corn + Bonus

Welcome to the eleventh installment of 15 in 3!  This is the place I am sharing my 15 favorite dinners over the next 3 weeks.  Stay tuned for easy homemade dinner recipes containing lots of whole foods, minimal processed ingredients, and straight forward recipes with everyday healthy ingredients.  Some posts will contain bonus breakfast and snack ideas.  Happy cooking!

Dinner 11:  Sloppy Joes with Sugar Snap Peas & Corn

This is definitely one of our favorite family recipes!!  We always have it the first week in a new house, along with tacos and a few other familiar dishes.  Like the lasagna, I make it my Mom's way.  Her recipe doesn't include actual measurements, and I've never measured for this recipe either.  For you though, I broke out the measuring cups and spoons to make sure the taste would turn out just right.

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef

4 whole wheat hamburger buns (I used Rudi's Organic - 160 calories each.)

6 t. brown sugar

1 t. mustard

1/2 c. ketchup 

1/4 c. water 

2 c. fresh sugar snap peas

1 1/3 c. frozen baby gold and white corn

1 T. butter

To taste, salt and pepper

Directions:

1.  Brown the ground beef, breaking it apart as you go so it becomes crumbled.  Drain if necessary.  Add brown sugar, mustard, ketchup and water; mix well over medium low heat.  Stir occasionally while it simmers and thickens.  

(I am sorry to say I am blanking on remembering exactly how much ketchup I used!  I waited too long to get this posted.  If 1/2 c. doesn't look right, then I know I didn't add more than another 1/4 c.  Stir the sauce and let it simmer and thicken before deciding to add more.  Also, the water is not original to the recipe, but by adding it I get the same consistency while using less ketchup.)

2.  Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Toast buns about five minutes or to your liking.

3.  Meanwhile, in small skillet over medium heat cook the butter, sugar snap peas, and corn.  Stir often to prevent burning.

This meal serves four.  Calories per serving: 530.

Seeing that this Sloppy Joe dinner is only 530 calories per person really drives home the importance of portion control.  Sloppy Joes always seems like it's on the "bad food" list.  This recipe, however, was not only filling and delicious, but also packed with good-for-you nutrients.

*Bonus Breakfast Recipe*

Oatmeal with Apples, Pecans & Maple Syrup

Ingredients:

1/4 c. dry oats

1/4-1/2 c. water

1/2 medium apple, diced

2 T. pecans, chopped

1 T. real maple syrup

Directions:

1.  Cover oats with water.  Microwave about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until cooked and water is absorbed.  Stir.

2.  Add apple, pecans, and syrup.  Stir.

Serves one.  Calories per serving: 265.

Enjoy!