Sloppy Joe's with Sun-dried Tomato

If you are anything like me, the thought of having sloppy joe's is just not all that appealing. I grew up with the Manwich sloppy joe mix and never really liked it. Now that I am older and know how easy it is to make sloppy joe's homemade, I really enjoy making them. They are a great meal to serve during the week because they don't take a lot of time or effort. Plus, sloppy joes are very filling so all you need is a simple salad, a veggie, or some fresh cut up fruit to pair with the sandwich. Serving the sloppy joe's on whole wheat buns also gives the dish a nutritional boost, which is what I am all about.

Sloppy Joe's with Sun-dried Tomato
Serves 4-6
Adapted from: http://www.sophistimom.com/gourmet-sloppy-joes/

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion - chopped
1 small red bell pepper - chopped
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey breast
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 can tomato sauce - 6 ounces
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes - chopped (I use Trader Joe's sun-dried tomatoes but you can find them in any grocery store)
pepper and salt to taste
4-6 whole wheat hamburger buns (whole wheat toast would work just fine if you don't have hamburger buns)

Directions:
-In a large nonstick skillet, add olive oil and over medium heat, saute onions and red bell pepper. Should take 3-4 minutes.
-In the skillet, add the beef/turkey, salt and pepper, and italian seasoning and cook beef until it is browned and cooked completely.
-Take a lid and cover your skillet and drain any excess fat/grease from the pan.
-Put skillet back on stove and add tomato paste, brown sugar, tomato sauce, and sun-dried tomatoes.
-Let the dish simmer for 3-4 minutes.
-Serve on toasted hamburger buns or whatever bread you prefer

*As I mentioned before, a simple salad or fresh fruit would pair nicely with this dish. I served these with sliced peaches.


Enjoy! :)