Lamb Bolognese on Green Beans & broccoli

By: ​Thérèse Buckingham, NBC-HWC

Lamb Bolognese on Green Beans & Broccoli
Be your own loving Italian grandma! While we can't promise unlimited breadsticks or corny Italian music, we can promise you a comforting, filling meal that's packed with flavor. 

What really makes this meal standout isn’t the base (green beans, in our case) but the sauce. We added our TimeChop twist to this fan favorite by sticking with real, whole food ingredients and using ground lamb as an alternative to beef.

We know you’ll want to eat this by the spoonful, but try your best to hold off — depending on what meals you scheduled, you could be using it in three more recipes in this connected menu! 

This recipe is from the Carb-LESS Express meal plan on TimeChop, a plan that is Paleo, W30®, GF. 

Goodbye, quick carbs. Hello, energy!
 
This menu is influenced by the flavors and nutritional benefits of a Mediterranean diet. You’ll try popular dishes like antipasto and bolognese, but we keep it easy to execute and delicious.

These meals are low-carb and maintain TimeChop’s plant-strong commitment and Paleo lifestyle.

No matter what eating lifestyle you prefer, loading your meals with vegetables, especially micro-nutrient rich cruciferous and leafy greens, is vital to optimal health. 
 
Tips & Notes:

• You can substitute any ground meat for the lamb, but we recommend giving lamb a shot—not only for its rich flavor, but for its vital nutrient content.
• Lamb contains a healthy dose of zinc, iron, selenium, B12 and omega-3 fatty acids.
• Along with the bolognese sauce, you’ll make extra roasted green beans to use in the connected Carryout.
• If you're not watching your carbohydrate intake, this is great on pasta! 
• Adjust quantities if you are cooking for more than one person or want leftovers.

 
Recipe yield:

• 1 serving for dinner
• Enough sauce and green beans for 1 serving of the Connected Carryout. 

Ingredients

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the Sauce (2 servings):

•  8 oz ground lamb (or ground meat of choice)
•  1 clove garlic
•  1/2 medium yellow onion
•  1 cup petite or regular diced fire roasted tomatoes
•  1/2 cup tomato sauce, no sugar added
•  1/4 tsp fine sea salt
•  1/4 tsp ground black pepper
•  1/2 tsp oregano
•  1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
•  4 leaves mint
•  1/2 tsp fennel seeds
•  2 Tbsp avocado oil
•  1/2 medium lemon, zest

the roasted veggies:

•  24 medium green beans (half of the green beans will be used in the Carryout)
•  1 cup broccoli florets with stems
•  1.5 Tbsp avocado oil, divided
•  1/8 tsp fine sea salt
•  1/8 tsp ground black pepper, divided
•  1/2 medium lemon, juice

STEPS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take the lamb out of the fridge and gather the rest of the ingredients.

2.  Peel the garlic and onion. Mince the garlic and dice the onion. Set them aside in a prep bowl or corner of the cutting board.

3.  Open the cans and measure the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce into a single prep bowl so they're ready to add to the sauce.

4.  Put the spices in a small prep bowl and set aside for later. Rinse the mint leaves and set them on a paper towel to dry.

5.  Grab a sauce pan large enough to make the bolognese sauce and heat it on medium heat. When hot, add the fennel seeds and toast them in the dry pan until they become fragrant and light brown. Shake the pan a few times as they toast. When done, pour them out into a small glass jar or bowl.

6.  To make the lamb bolognese sauce, start by returning the empty pot to the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the oil. When it's hot, swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until translucent, stirring occasionally.

7.  Add the ground lamb to the onion and garlic. Use a spoon or spatula to break the meat up. Let it brown. When you can’t see pink, add the tomato mixture and stir it in. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let it come to a slow boil. Then turn heat to simmer.

8.  Add the spices and the toasted fennel seeds. Stir them in. Let the sauce simmer while you prepare the rest of the meal.

9.  Wash and remove stems from the green beans and set them on the baking sheet.

10.  Wash the broccoli and cut into smaller florets leaving about 2 inches of stem attached. You can use a vegetable peeler to remove the tougher layer on the stems. To measure the broccoli, put the florets into a measuring cup with the stems sticking out. Add the broccoli to the sheet pan with the green beans, drizzle with the avocado oil and season with salt and pepper. Use your hands or a mixing spoon to evenly coat the veggies with the oil, salt & pepper. Put it in the oven for 15 minutes.

11.  Optional: if you want to add a fresh zing to the bolognese, wash a lemon and use a small grater or zester to remove the zest (skin) and set it aside in a small prep bowl. You’ll use squeeze the juice from the lemon over the veggies when they are done.

12.  Stack the mint leaves on top of each other and roll them up. Slice the mint leaf roll and stir the pieces into the lamb sauce. Stir the lemon zest in as well. Adjust seasonings to taste.

13.  When the veggies are done, remove them from the oven. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top.

14.  For each serving, put up to 12 beans and about 2/3 cup of the broccoli on a plate. Add up to a cup of the lamb bolognese sauce on top of the veggies or to the side.

15.  Before cleaning up, prepare the connected Carryout. See Mediterranean Healing Soup for directions.

16. If you made extra sauce, let it cool before putting it into the fridge. Leftovers can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Heat in the microwave or a skillet before eating.