Hamburger Helper Substitute (Ground Beef and Quinoa Skillet)

 I love Hamburger Helper.  I always feel bad when I cook it because I know it's not a healthy choice for heart health and diabetes, but I do love it.  Recently I decided to try a better choice and went hunting for a healthier substitute to satisfy that craving.  I found this recipe on thehomeintent.com It was delicious and took only 24 minutes start to finish (I made the Quinoa in my Rice Cooker on the weekend so it was ready for a quick meal prep during the week.)  Here it is:

Ingredients

2 cups beef broth

1 cup quinoa

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 white onions, diced (if you dice them yourself, this might take longer than 24 minutes, but I used the fresh diced onion from Trader Joes.  1 full bag.

1 # ground beef

6 cloves garlic (again, I used 6 tsp of pre diced garlic from a jar)

1 Tablespoon fresh sage, minced

8-10 sprigs thyme (about 1 Tablespoon)

1 + 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

Directions

Cook 1 cup Quinoa in 2 cups broth on your white rice setting on your rice cooker.  Since I cooked mine ahead, I put it in a resealable container and then microwaved it for 3 minutes before adding it to my skillet below.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the 2 Tablespoons of oil, diced onions and 1 tsp of salt until the onions are softened, about 8 minutes (stirring occasionally).  Add ground beef and garlic, cook until beef is no longer pink.  Add in sage, thyme, pepper and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.

Turn off the heat, pour cooked quinoa and chopped fresh spinach into the ground beef mixture.  Stir to combine and wait for a minute while the spinach wilts.  Taske and adjust seasonings if needed.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.  Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

• Fresh garlic, onions and herbs are definitely the best, but you could also use dried herbs, garlic powder and onion powder
• For variations on this dish you can try the following:
• Ground turkey, ground chicken or ground pork instead of beef
• Chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of beef broth
• Kale instead of spinach
• Add black beans or white beans for extra protein and nutrition
• Any combination of herbs will be delicious if you don't have sage or thyme
• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for more of a kick
• Top with shredded cheese
• Some Nutritional Notes

• Ground beef - Grass-fed and grass-finished is best for nutrition and flavor.

  Quinoa - Contains many vitamins and minerals, including many essential amino acids, as well as fibre and protein. Makes a great base for this dish.

  Beef broth - Helps to bring out the delicious beef flavor. Bone broth is best, but not required.

  Onions - Adds fibre, vitamins and minerals and a sweet flavor.

  Garlic - Great source of Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, selenium and manganese and gives a sweet, buttery flavor to the dish.

  Spinach - A nutritious green vegetable added to make this a full meal.

  Fresh herbs - Vibrant flavors from fresh herbs complete the dish.