Ready For Dinner!

As a young child, some of my favorite meals were sloppy joes! They were fun to eat, messy (and what child doesn’t love that), and quite delicious. Sadly though, the best part of the whole shebang, came from a can.

As someone who prefers to only feed her family freshly prepared foods, canned sloppy joes simply do not pass muster in our house. I wanted my daughter to be able to experience the fun of eating a sloppy joe so I crafted a recipe that our whole family loves.

This blend of sweet, smoky, and tangy come together to create a brilliant burst of flavor in every delicious bite! I have yet to make this recipe for someone and have them not get a huge smile bite after messy bite.

This recipe comes together quickly and the best part is, you can double or triple it and freeze the extras for those days when you need to pull something out of the freezer.

Who Wants Seconds?!

Smoky, Tangy Sloppy Joes (With Bunless Option)

Hand on Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef, lamb, turkey, or chicken
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup + 4 tablespoons Kelapo Coconut Oil
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder (you can use more if you like a little heat!)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup crushed pineapple
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 hamburger buns

Directions

1. In a large skillet over high heat, sauté the beef, onions, and garlic in the 1/4 cup coconut oil until the beef is browned and all the liquid has boiled off. This step takes about 10 minutes.
2. Turn the heat down to low, then add the paprika and chipotle powder. Stir until incorporated.
3. Stir in the ketchup, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, crushed pineapple, and sea salt.
4. Partially cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Stir a few times to prevent burning on the bottom of the pan.
5. Divide the mixture among the buns, drizzle each with 1 tablespoon coconut oil, and serve.

*If you prefer to not to use a bun, this recipe taste delicious over jasmine rice. Additionally, you can serve it over finely chopped and lightly cooked cauliflower or cabbage for a grain free variation.

-Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama