Spicy Beef Sloppy Joes

29g CARB

Serves 12

hands on 20 min.

slow cook 8 hr.

• 2 lb. lean ground beef
• 2½ cups lower-sodium salsa
• 3 cups coarsely chopped fresh mushrooms (8 oz.)
• 1¼ cups shredded carrots
• 1¼ cups finely chopped red and/or green sweet peppers
• ½ of a 6-oz. can no-salt-added tomato paste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. dried oregano, crushed
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 12 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted

1. In a 12-inch skillet cook ground beef over medium until browned, stirring occasionally. Drain off fat. In a 5- to 6-qt. slow cooker combine meat and the next 10 ingredients (through cayenne pepper).

2. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or high 4 to 5 hours. Spoon ½ cup meat mixture onto each bun.

Tip Place any leftover meat mixture in a freezer container; seal. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.

PER SERVING (1 sandwich each) cal 278, fat 8 g (3 g sat. fat), chol 48 mg, sodium 527 mg, carb 29 g (4 g fiber, 8 g sugars), pro 20 g

TRY THIS

Skip the buns. Spoon this saucy mixture into lettuce leaves for wraps, over baked sweet potatoes, or on a bed of greens.