::hamburger:buddy::

In The Kitchen...

There is no denying that I can make a mean bowl of pasta. I have perfected it, probably because I am obsessed with the starchy junk - I say junk because white pasta isn't good for you. It's unhealthy to put it plainly because it has been stripped of all nutrients. But it's still so damn delicious! 

I am trying not to eat it as often as I have been in the past - especially when I am also trying to lose weight; but at least once a week I will make a pasta dish. I am also trying to tweak recipes that I have already made as well as try new ones. My only thing though is that I don't like chunks of tomatoes in my tomato sauce and I don't enjoy large pieces of onions either so I steer clear, even though it does add a whole new depth of flavour, there is something about the texture that I just can't seem to appreciate.
My Mom used to make some creamy pasta's {but a much healthier version} and I just miss that and don't try new recipes often enough, so I was skimming through some recipes in the Google search engine and came across a recipe that sounds just delicious and is pretty healthy too! It was found on the Family site {link} but originally posted here {Eating Well} if anyone wanted to know.

Bon Appetit!

Hamburger Buddy 

Very finely chopping onion, mushrooms and carrots in the food processor is not only fast ~ it makes the vegetables hard to detect for picky eaters. They also form the base for the sauce of this ground beef skillet supper. Make it a meal: Serve with a green salad. 

Prep: 40 min // Ready In: 40 min // Yield: 6 servings {about 1-1/3 cups each}

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled

2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

10 ounces white mushrooms, large ones cut in half

1 large onion, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 pound 90% lean ground beef

2 teaspoons dried thyme

3/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 cups water

1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth, divided

8 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles {2 cups}
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives for garnish

Directions
Fit a food processor with the steel blade attachment. With the motor running, drop garlic through the feed tube and process until minced, then add carrots and mushrooms and process until finely chopped. Turn it off, add onion, and pulse until roughly chopped. 

Cook beef in a large straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wood spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chopped vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until all the vegetables start to soften and the mushrooms release their juices, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in water, 1-1/2 cups broth, noodles and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Whisk flour with the remaining 1/4 cup broth in a small bowl until smooth; stir into the hamburger mixture. Stir in the sour cream. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley {or chives}, if desired. 

Health Advantages: Low calorie, low sat fat, low cholesterol, low sodium, high potassium, heart healthy, healthy weight. 

Amount per serving; 326 calories.

I did read through the reviews ~ which is always a good idea and a lot of people suggested adding a bit of tomato paste and paprika for a stroganoff feel as well as holding slightly back on the thyme as the recipes calls for too much and seems to overpower the dish. 

I will also be using ground turkey or ground pork and some say the carrot adds an odd sweetness to this but not sure if I will add that or not. 

Hope you guys try this recipe out and if you do, let me know what you think!

-S.*