Supercharged Savoury Mince

When I started living a healthier lifestyle, I wanted to find quick staple meals that were easy enough to swap-out with my older, less healthy and more traditional recipes. Being the full-time, mum that I was, I wanted recipes I could make once and use again… and again… and again. It was just SO HARD to find anything that was both easy and healthy. It seemed like an impossible feat; a tale of two star-crossed lovers who were never meant to meet.

I was stuck.

Cook, they said.

It’ll be fun, they said 😐

I just wanted something simple that was nourishing for my body and versatile. How hard could that be?! You know what I mean – the patty for burgers night that could be re-made into the topping for your salad at lunch, the fillings for your lettuce-cup, an easy fridge snack on it’s own and then the base for a Shepherd’s pie. The filling. I wanted the filling. Because let’s be real, who has time or energy to cook for hours on end just for one small meal?

Nobody. Absolutely nobody.

And this is something that still rings true today for many people. Whenever I cook, I like everything I make to be versatile. I only ever cook something that I can eat for the next week. A Renewable Table as I like to call it (and yes, that was a cheeky plug to The Renewable Table eBook which you can check out here). I'm not trying to say I'm a big deal or anything but, I guess you could say I was into meal prep long before it was cool.

If you’re looking for a healthy swap for your burger patty, a substitution for your meat-balls or a dish to just enjoy on its own – you’ve come to the right place. My savoury mince makes for an easy weeknight meal or weekend communal dinner and delivers a flavour-packed dish that's not only big on taste, but also great for the family and able to be modified into any of your favourite meals down the line.

While the regular ground beef you find at the supermarket is typically low grade, my mince is high and mighty in taste. My savoury mince is a healthy alternative that's filled with only good-for-you ingredients that's ground up into a convenient form. If you’re a lover of all things burger, spaghetti or lettuce cups – I’ve found your perfect filler. It’s comfort food without the pressure of stodgy ingredients.

To add to the meatiness of this mince recipe, I’ve added some mushrooms. Not only are mushrooms high in copper which helps look after heart health, they’re also high in vitamin D. There's been a huge rise in vitamin D deficiency simply because we don’t spend enough time outside (helloooo indoor gym sessions, 9-5 desk jobs and Netflix). Vitamin D deficiency can cause both bone and muscle pain as well as a whole other list of other symptoms. It’s good to try and get at least twenty minutes of sun exposure every day. But, I have a little trick for you. If you want to up your vitamin D intake, leave your mushrooms outside in the sun for 15 minutes before cooking them. I know, it sounds a little bit crazy BUT similar to own bodies, exposing mushrooms to UV rays helps increase the vitamin D. Mushroom magic!

This mince is almost like the cold meat of every salad, sandwich, snack and sushi recipe you can find at the petrol/gas station. Except this time, it's enjoyable for both you and your tummy. 

Supercharged Savoury (Mighty) Mince recipe

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks sliced
• 200g button mushrooms, quartered
• 500g beef or lamb mince (grass fed is good)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch nutmeg 
• Pinch chilli flakes
• 2 tbs wheat free tamari
• Squeeze of lemon juice 
• 1 cup spinach (optional)
• 1 cup frozen peas  
• Fresh coriander to serve

Method

1. Place olive oil, garlic, onion, in heavy based saucepan over medium heat and cook until softened.
2. Add celery, carrot and mushrooms and cook
3. Stir until cooked through.
4. Add mince and break apart with wooden spoon and stir to cook until browned.
5. Season with spices and add tamari and lemon stirring well. Letting spices infuse and turn heat to low.
6. Add peas and spinach and cook on low until cooked through
7. Spoon into bowls and enjoy
8. Serve with fresh coriander