Sloppy Sallys

 You know that one night of the week, or several, that you and children race in the door after school/work and you have a very small window to feed your peeps before you throw on your chauffeur hat? The clock is ticking before you need to race to the class/soccer field/arena/studio for the activity (activities) you excitedly registered them for in the summer, not realizing how tight your time would be? We had the Divas in Ringette last year and there was about a 30 minute window to get in the door, get some food in their bellies and race off to the rink.  This year we have that same window to get the eldest Diva home, fed and to Guides (I obviously learned nothing last year).
  I have been trying to take some time on a Sunday or in the evenings to prepare meals for those crazy days.  The thought of cereal in a Tupperware while bouncing in the backseat doesn't sit well with me. There are enough fish crackers crumbs and food organisms floating around the rear of my mom-mobile!
  One of the best cookbooks I purchased was Tosca Reno's "The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids."  Eating clean is something that is important to us in the Casa Duncan. The Divas have only ever had whole grain breads and pasta, love their vegetables and are happy with a "Yogurt Sundae" for dinner. Wanting to avoid take out and the easy processed meals, I found this book was great for some of the kids favorites while still being healthy and easy to prepare.
  A staple for those busy nights is Sloppy Joes from this book. We however call them "Sloppy Sallys" as the Divas think it would be silly to eat something named after a boy..ewww!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup low-sodium chili sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp each; cumin, sea salt, black pepper and chili powder
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp dried, crumbled oregano
1 tbsp best- quality olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb lean ground turkey
3/4 cup cooked brown rice
Handful chopped scallions
Multi grain or whole wheat buns
1/4 cup hummus

 

Just wanted to share that we get our ground turkey through Wag Jag. They run the special every few weeks and we paid $29 for 12 lbs. I like that the are individually wrapped and fit in all the nooks and crannies in our freezer and LOVE the price.  One package at the grocery store used to cost me over $5.00.

Another tip is to buy your tomato paste in a tube. I always found I opened a can to use 1-2 Tbsp and then the rest would go off in the fridge and be wasted. This product lets you use what you need and keeps the rest fresh. I always find this in the pasta and sauces section of the store.

Instructions:

• In a small bowl combine chili sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, spices, vinegar and oregano. Mix well and set aside.

 

 

 

•  Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Saute onion, celery and garlic for 5 minutes.

 

 

•  Add ground meat, let brown and drain excess oil.
• Combine browned meat with spice mixture, cooked brown rice and scallions and mix gently. (If you have a picky eater you can leave out the scallions)

 

• Spread each side of the bun with a tablespoon of hummus. Spoon mixture onto one side of the bun and top with the other bun.
• Cut in half if you want less sloppy or leave whole and grab some extra napkins!

 

This recipe states it is for 4 buns but depending on how much you use and the size of bun there are usually leftover. The Divas like this as leftovers warmed up and sent with some cheese in a wrap for a school lunch. We wrap them in foil and it keeps it warm till they are ready to chow down.