Asian “Beef” Bowl
My family hasn’t done Meatless Monday in a while, so I thought I’d come up with a new recipe for us to try out. And since my baby’s due date is now about a month away, I wanted to start thinking about some new diet-friendly recipes that we’ll start in June, because this pregnancy weight hasn’t just affected me. Even our family dog Coco has put on some sympathy pregnancy weight. We’ve all got to shape up.
This week I wanted to try something fun and new, so I made some Asian “Beef” Bowls. Instead of using beef, I opted to use frozen MorningStar Grillers Crumbles. This is a product I’ve been using on and off for years. It’s a great go-to ingredient for vegetarians as well as people who are looking to cut fat and calories in recipes. I love these Crumbles because they are a good source of low-fat protein and can be used in any recipe that you would ordinarily use ground beef.
For this recipe, I wanted to make a spin on Korean beef, but something quicker, easier and healthier. The spices used are similar to Bulgogi beef marinade. This dish is so full of flavor and manages to balance those flavors we all love: sweet, salty and spicy.
To start this recipe, I heat the Morningstar Farms Meal Starter Griller Recipe Crumbles with sesame seed oil in a large skillet. Then, I add garlic, ginger, onion, carrot and spinach. Some of these ingredients are fresh, and some are frozen. Here, I used fresh carrots and garlic, frozen spinach and ginger that I froze myself. Did you know the best way to always have fresh ginger on hand is to have a root in your freezer? Just grate off what you need for a recipe and freeze the rest.
I also add my seasonings to the Crumbles I add soy sauce, honey and red pepper flakes for extra spice. You can modify the spice in this recipe by adjusting how much red pepper flakes you use, or just omit them all together. After the Crumbles mixture has heated through and the vegetables are as tender as you like, you’re ready to serve.
I like to serve this over rice. For this dinner, I cooked brown rice with a little crushed garlic and at the end added Smart Balance butter. This butter has 40% less saturated fat than traditional butter! And did I mention it tastes amazing! You’ll make any picky eater a lover of brown rice by simply adding butter to it.
I also added a simple slaw to top of this recipe. It’s a ginger slaw made simply of fresh cabbage, green onions, cilantro and ginger. It comes together in about 5 minutes and adds so much more flavor to this recipe.
For garnish, I finished with a Sriracha drizzle and a squeeze of lime. Add as much or as little as you like and enjoy!
There’s so many healthy options that you can find in your grocer’s dairy aisle. From butters, milks, cheeses and sour cream to perfectly-portioned cottage cheese and yogurt snacks, there are so many healthy ingredients to choose from if you’re trying to live a healthier lifestyle.
Don’t forget that the frozen food aisle also has many ingredients like vegetarian products as well as perfectly-portioned meals. There’s also a variety of ethnic cuisines and dishes to meet every culinary preference. What I want for my family is the same as you – real, simple, nutritious, delicious, affordable and customizable meals and snacks. And, all of these needs can be met in our grocer’s freezer section.
Frozen produce is captured at the peak of freshness, right from the moment they’re harvested or procured. This is why I absolutely love making choices from the freezer aisle, especially for those fruits and vegetables that are out of season. They are convenient and you can use only what you need and put the rest back in the freezer, so there’s no waste.
For more mealtime inspiration, visit www.EasyHomeMeals.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest too!
NFRA is a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated dairy foods industry, including distributors, logistics providers, manufacturers, retailers/wholesalers and suppliers. Headquartered in Harrisburg, PA, NFRA is the sponsor of March National Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion and October Cool Food for Kids educational outreach program. NFRA provides consumer information such as food safety guidelines, meal preparation tips, recipes and sweepstakes opportunities at EasyHomeMeals.com. For additional information on NFRA or to find recipes or tips, visit NFRAweb.org or EasyHomeMeals.com.
Yield: Serves 4
Asian “Beef” Bowl
2.71 stars (7 reviews)
Loading...Ingredients:
For the Rice:
- 4 cups cooked white or brown rice, cooked according to package directions
- 2 tablespoons Smart Balance Butter
For the "Beef":
- 1 - 12oz package Morningstar Farms Meal Starter Griller Recipe Crumbles
- 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 cup Bird's Eye Defrosted frozen spinach, excess water squeezed out
- 1/3 cup matchstick carrots
- 1/4 cup thinly cliced onions
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
For the Slaw:
- 8 oz slaw mix, or 8 oz shredded cabbage and carrots
- 8 green onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive or rice bran oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
For Garnish:
- Sriracha Sauce
Directions:
For the Rice:
Cook according to package directions. After cooking, add Smart Balance Butter and melt in rice.
For the "Beef":
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sesame oil and Morningstar Farms Meal Starter Griller Recipe Crumbles. Heat until "beef" crumbles are heated through. Add garlic, soy sauce, ginger, honey and vinegar. Mix well to combine. Add spinach, carrots, onions and red pepper flakes. Mix well and continue to cook over medium heat until the carrots and onion are tender crisp.
For the Slaw:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
To serve:
Add rice to bowl and top with "beef" mixture. Then top with slaw and drizzle with Sriracha sauce. Garnish with lime if desired. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to share on Instagram with the hashtag #EclecticRecipes and tag me, @EclecticRecipes!This post sponsored by NFRAweb.org. I was compensated for my time. All opinions 100% mine.
