Beef Marinara Sauce over Cauliflower Rice

Beef Marinara Sauce over Cauliflower Rice

Quick Lemon Dressing with Olive Oil

Super Simple Beef Marinara Sauce

serve with Zucchini or Spaghetti Squash or Rice or Cauliflower Rice

This is one of those super quick and easy meals I turn to what I am in a pickle and need dinner quick. You can make this in 45 minutes. Alternatively, you can make the sauce on a day when you have more time in the kitchen and reheat and serve with rice or spaghetti squash or zucchini spirals.

Serves 4

1 pound 100% grass fed beef

1/8 cup olive oil

1 large eggplant (not peeled) sliced and cut in to 1” cubes

1 organic large yellow onion cut in to small pieces

4 cloves of garlic minced

(NOTE: you could add to your sauce - use fennel, pepper, zucchini, carrot or even kale here)

28 ounce organic tomatoes

1 Tablespoons (or more) each of fennel seeds and Italian seasonings (oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, sage)

Directions:

Cut up the eggplant.

Sprinkle about 2-3 tablespoons of salt on the cubed the eggplant and set in colander to draw out the liquid. The liquid will form as little droplets. This takes the bitterness our of the eggplant.

In a large heavy bottom pot, cook the meat. Remove the meat and set in the 2nd pot. With pastured 100% grass fed beef, there is normally not much fat, so if you have more than 3 tablespoons, skim it out. Otherwise, you will need about 2 tablespoons oil of fat to sauté the onions. While the onions are sautéing, cut up the cauliflower. (see recipe below)

Add the garlic.

Once the onions are transparent, add the onions to the meat.

Once you see the droplets on the eggplant, rinse the eggplant well under running water and put out on a clean towel to get out any excess water. Add about 6 tablespoons oil to the pot. Add the eggplant and allow it to sauce for about 3-4 minutes. As soon as the eggplant is cooked remove and add to the meat.

( If you wish to use fennel, zucchini, kale, peppers mushroom, carrots : cook the same way you cooked the meat, eggplant and onions and add to the meat mixture)

NOTE: You can also used jarred peppers, then there is no reason to cook.

Add tomatoes. Add 2 tablespoons fennel and Italian seasonings (start with one of each- you can add more if you wish) and 2 teaspoons salt and heat everything through. Serve on zucchini ribbons or rice or cauliflower rice or spaghetti squash.

Spiralize zucchini into spaghetti. About one small zucchini per person.

The flavor of this sauce is much better if this is made the day before to allow the flavors to meld.

Cauliflower Rice

1 head cauliflower

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

Remove the outer leaves of the cauliflower and cut in half. Slice each half very thin. One sliced, rough cut in the opposite direction so you’ll end up with small pieces. These are not as small as recipe, but small.

In a large bottom bot, (like a lecrueset) add 1 cup water and butter and olive oil and 12 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer and then add the chopped cauliflower. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

Lemon Dressing

1 lemon zested

juice of 1/2 the lemon

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar ( i like apple cider, but coconut, or champagne or red are fine too!)

1 clove garlic smashed and minced

Whisk all together