HANDS-ON: 20 MIN. // TOTAL: 20 MIN. // SERVES 4
How does a one-dish skillet meal in only 20 minutes sound? Pretty good to me—and that’s why this is a frequent weeknight dinner on my table. Sometimes store-bought veggie spirals have excess moisture in the container. If this is the case, drain the spirals and place them on a towel to absorb the excess moisture before using them. Or see page 55 for how to make your own veggie noodles.
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 pound lean ground beef
11/2 tablespoons All-Purpose Taco Seasoning (page 66) or store-bought organic taco seasoning
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1/2 cup water
3 cups zucchini spirals
11/2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 Heat a large skillet over medium. Add the oil to the pan; swirl to coat. Add the beef; cook for 4 minutes, stirring to crumble. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the taco seasoning and salt; cook, stirring often, until the meat is browned, about 2 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, corn, and water; bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
2 Stir in the zucchini spirals. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the zucchini is just tender, about 3 minutes. Divide evenly among four pasta bowls. Top with the cheese and the scallions.
(SERVING SIZE: 11/2 CUPS): CALORIES 352; FAT 12G (SAT 5G, UNSAT 6G); PROTEIN 29G; CARB 32G; FIBER 8G; SUGARS 9G (ADDED SUGARS 0G); SODIUM 763MG; CALC 19% DV; POTASSIUM 13% DV
DAIRY-FREE OPTION: Omit the cheese, and top with 1/2 diced ripe avocado.
is grass-fed meat healthier?
Grass-fed meat is viewed by many to be a healthier option, often costing $1 to $2 more per pound, so make sure you know what the “grass-fed” labels really mean.
“100% GRASS-FED” or “GRASS-FINISHED” means the animal ate grass for its entire life, other than its mother’s milk when it was a baby.
“GRASS-FED” means the animal ate grass and had access to pasture for a portion of its life; the length of this varies greatly by farm.
• None of the grass-fed labels above mean the animal was raised organically and without antibiotics or added growth hormones.
• Most research comparing grass-fed beef to grain-fed (the alternative if grass-fed is not specified) examines beef from cattle that had access to grass their entire life, not just a portion of it. There are no real differences in protein, zinc, or iron content.
• Grass-finished beef tends to be leaner, which means the total amount of fat is slightly lower. The polyunsaturated omega-3 fats are also slightly higher, but when you look at a 3- to 4-ounce serving, the difference isn’t really significant enough to suggest that grass-fed is a better source of omega-3s.