Are you getting a little tired of bolognaise? It’s a wonderful family meal…simple, tasty and good for you but week after week, it can get a bit, well, boring. Try this delicious Moroccan style beef. It’s hearty, healthy and a winner with the kids.
Moroccan Style Beef
I have to admit, I have lost my mojo when it comes to food lately. It’s my priority to feed my family the best food I can and in trying to achieve that, I have become confused, overwhelmed and ultimately, a little disinterested. It seems we are being bombarded with dietary advice and encouraged to give up many of our usual staples.
Gluten free, dairy free, grain free, sugar free, vegetarian, vegan, raw….my goodness! What’s left to eat? It seems to me there is a lot of hype around what we should consider healthy and it’s putting a lot of pressure on mums like me. We spend a small fortune at the health food shop, produce a meal no one eats, make the mess of forty men and we’re still hungry. The final straw was an article popping up in my news feed on facebook titled Would we be healthier if we ate like Apes…or something along those lines. Seriously? Okay…deep breath…it’s time to get real here.
Sometimes dietary restrictions are necessary because of allergies and intolerances or maybe our values and beliefs and I’m very supportive of this but surely education and support is more productive than making people feel like failures because of their food choices. The reality is, kids need food and plenty of it. Most of us agree that a diet rich in plant foods is ideal but does that mean we have to go vegan all the time? If you are and you do, I take my hat off to you but for me, and my family, a more gentle approach is required.
I’m not going to put a label on the way we eat. We eat dairy foods, but always organic and not too much. We try to avoid wheat but love a good slice of sour dough. We juice, we drink green smoothies, we eat meat once or twice a week. I have a few vegan recipes up my sleeve and try to get some raw veggies in every day. We try our best to have a healthy, organic, whole foods diet but if someone hands my child a biscuit I don’t reach across the table and swat it out of their hands.
And so, taking the pressure off myself when it comes to the way we eat was such a relief…I gave myself a good talking to on the way to the supermarket. I wanted to make something simple, that the kids would love, that was good for them and that wouldn’t dirty every pan in the kitchen…this is what we ended up with…and it was a winner!
Moroccan Style Beef
Serves 4-6
Delicious and versatile…
What you need:
Olive oil
500g lean (organic if you can) beef mince
1 onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 grated zucchini
1/2 medium sweet potato, grated
1 carrot, grated
2 cups of chopped silverbeet, spinach or whatever leafy greens you prefer
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup of passata (if you have some)
1-2 tsps Moroccan Spice Mix (check ingredients for nasties first)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Fresh herbs (parsley, coriander, mint – whatever you like) to garnish
What to do:
Add a little olive oil to a large frying pan. Brown your mince. I like to drain it in the colander once it’s brown.
Wipe out the pan with some paper towel and add a little fresh oil. First add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add your veggies and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add your mince, seasonings, tomatoes, passata and 1 can of water to the veggies. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for a good hour, or until the water has evaporated and the sauce is rich and thick.
Transfer to a Moroccan looking dish and garnish with fresh herbs.
What else can I do with it?
Heaps! You might even want to make a double batch of this and use it in different ways throughout the week….
- Serve on top of brown rice, quinoa, cous cous or pasta (we have been having the quinoa pasta lately which we love).
- Dollop on top of a baked potato with some grated cheese and a spoonful of natural yoghurt.
- Spread on a spelt flat bread or wrap with crunchy cos lettuce, grated carrot and avocado for a delicious alternative to a taco.
- Grab some organic puff pastry and make tasty Moroccan beef sausage rolls or mini pies.
I can promise you this was so simple to make, didn’t make a lot of mess and all three of my kids loved it (thank goodness because I made a lot!). Make it with love and you can’t go wrong.
What is your food philosophy? Do you feel pressure to eat or feed your children a certain way? How do you remain consistent when it comes to healthy eating?
Happy eating!
mamacino x
Your food philosophy sounds just perfect. And very similar to ours. Just because I’m mainly grain, and dairy free doesn’t mean I insist my hubby or kids are as well. But, yes, we still stick to spelt pasta & bread, & I substitute coconut or oat milk for dairy whenever feasible, but I’ve learnt to not sweat the small stuff but always look at the overall picture. My kids won’t do green juice, & still prefer fruit over veg every day of the week, but at least they are trying a large variety of foods, and will usually eat what I cook (hidden veg & all)! You’re doing an awesome jib, and I can’t wait to make this mince
Oops – ‘job’!
Thanks Kathie! I think we are all doing our best and it pays not to over think it. I agree that it’s wonderful for kids to have a variety of different foods too x
This recipe looks great. I have recently just been more conscious about using brown rice and I think it would b great with this dish.
Brown rice is delicious…nutty and more-ish…Basmati is really good too, the lowest in GI, I think and good for those who don’t really like brown rice. Thanks for stopping by at mamacino xx
This sounds delicious and such a simple variation on Spag Bol – which is amazing but does get a little tired
I agree with so much of what you said about not knowing what to eat these days – my blogs are full of rants about the state of the food out there! haha
Well, I’m just popping over to read them now
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