These Sloppy Jane's are incredibly good even without the usual added sugar that goes into the original versions. What is a Sloppy Jane? It's a ground turkey mixture cooked in a skillet with vegetables and, usually, a lot of ketchup and brown sugar. The ground meat mixture usually is sandwiched in a bun. This version includes the ground turkey, along with onions, celery, carrot, and tomatoes, but no ketchup or brown sugar. Instead the mixture gets it's sweetness from a small amount of date puree (just cover pitted dates with hot water, let them cool, and mash them). The Sloppy Jane's are savory, tangy, and just a tad sweet, and they are good! The meat mixture is great if you're on a diabetic diet or want to "eat healthy." We usually skip the buns and eat the mixture on cornbread (I'll post a "diabetic friendly" version later) or, sometimes, on top of polenta. The Sloppy Jane's are especially good with cheddar cheese on top! If you want to make "Sloppy Joe's," just substitute lean ground beef (93 percent lean) for the ground turkey. The meat mixture is great made ahead and reheated in the microwave. Enjoy!
Sloppy Jane's or Sloppy Joe's (Diabetic Friendly) -- Serves 4+
1-2 teaspoons of canola oil
1/2 cup of chopped onion (about half a medium onion)
1-2 tablespoons of chopped celery
2 tablespoons of shredded carrot (the kind from the bag works just fine)
3/4-1 pound of lean ground turkey (93 percent)
1/4-1/2 cup of chopped red and orange bell peppers (or whatever color you have!)
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
3/4 teaspoon of salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
14-16-ounce can of diced tomatoes
6-ounce can of tomato paste
1 cup of water
2 tablespoons of date puree (cover dates with hot water, let them cool, and mash them
with the water)
1-2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
2-3 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
Buns, cornbread, polenta, lettuce, etc., to serve
Grated or shredded cheddar (or other) cheese, optional, to serve
Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and saute them for 5-8 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the ground turkey, chopped peppers, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and saute everything together until the ground turkey is cooked through. Stir in the paprika, garlic powder, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, date puree, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and the remaining salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the mixture simmer, partially covered, for 20-30 minutes to blend the flavors. You can stir the mixture periodically. Serve the mixture on buns, cornbread, polenta, or whatever you'd like, with or without the cheese on top. Enjoy!
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