Recipe by Dr Lucy Williamson, registered public nutritionist, gut health expert and author of Soil to Gut
This is a fabulous recipe for telling the story of eating plant-based! It uses climate friendly, 100% grass fed beef (see below for its health benefits) but has many fabulous plants in it too including, veg, spices, herbs and pulses. Keeping costs down? Bulking out this dish with protein-rich pulses & makes this recipe go further! Add the sourdough and you’re adding plenty of gut healthy fibre.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 500g 100% grass fed or pasture fed beef
- 150g mixed dried lentils – I use split red lentils and whole coral lentils for variety.
- 1 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 garlic cloves,
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1 beetroot, skin-on, grated
- 1 red or yellow pepper, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp plain white or spelt flour
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- Herbs – fresh Oregano and rosemary, really easy to grow outside or on a windowsill give a lovely earthy taste
- Optional – a splash of red wine
- Salt & Pepper to taste
(11 plants!)
For the bread:
- 6 Slices sourdough
- 60g Butter (room temperature)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp of mixed dry herbs or fresh if you have
Method:
- Heat the cold-pressed rapeseed oil and sauté the chopped onion over a medium heat until they begin to go clear
- Add in the grated garlic and stir to combine.
- Add the minced beef and cook until it begins to brown.
- Add in the tomato purée, all the spices, lentils, grated carrots, beetroot and flour. Give everything a good stir then add the tinned tomatoes.
- Bring to the boil and simmer on a low heat for about 45 minutes. You can also do this in a slow cooker on a lower heat for longer – let it cook while you get on with other things!
Meanwhile, make your herby garlic sourdough:
Oven Temp: 190 degrees (fan)
- Mix the butter, crushed garlic and herbs
- Spread on both sides of all the bread slices, pressing them together as you go.
- Wrap loosely in foil
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Open up the foil and bake for a further 5 mins to crispen the edges
To serve:
- Season to taste with Salt & Pepper
- Serve with garlic sourdough and a side salad
SOURCING INGREDIENTS:
- Meat – look for ‘pasture fed’ or 100% grass fed on labels or choose Organic – these cows must be out on grass for at least 200 days of the year to be certified.
- Locally to Hillingdon – Whitby’s & Native Beef (or Organic in supermarket)
- Pulses – Hodmedods – British-grown, nature-friendly farming.
- Sourdough – look for the ‘real bread’ logo on the label for genuine sourdough which should only have 3 ingredients: flour, water and salt.
NUTRITION
Pulses increase protein and fibre helping to satisfy the appetite too.
Organic or 100% grass fed/ pasture fed beef: 300 X Omega 3 of regular beef (Heart Health and Anti-Inflammatory) and higher in Vitamin E (Antioxidant)
Plant Variety (remember this includes spices and herbs): gut healthy fibre
Onion and garlic are rich in antioxidants as are colourful plants – tomatoes, carrots & beetroot. Gut health rocket fuel!
Serving with sourdough instead of pasta makes this dish easier to digest and full of gut healthy fibre.
