I have enjoyed sloppy joes since the early days of marriage when I didn’t know how to cook anything unless it came out of a box or can.  When I made a commitment to limit high fructose corn syrup in our families diet, I had to say goodbye to my friend Manwich.

I have tried several homemade recipes that were OK, but they just didn’t do it for me.  Then I found this recipe: Sloppy Joes…The Real Food Way.  I love the title.  I love the recipe.  My search for a good homemade sloppy joe recipe has ended.

While there are bold and spicy sloppy joes, I prefer sweet ones.  This recipe satisfies my sweet tooth.  It’s super easy to throw together and I always have the ingredients on hand.

I tweaked the recipe a bit to simplify it even more.  I also added a can of red beans to stretch the meal a bit.  (You can read how I also do this in my spaghetti sauce here.)

Homemade Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1/2 cup Bell Pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup Onion, chopped
• 4 Garlic Cloves, pressed or minced
• 1 14.5 oz can of Red Beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
• 5 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 cup Broth
• 1/2 cup Honey
• 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Tamari Sauce  (Soy-free recipes here and here or leave it out and extra salt)
• 1/2 Tbsp Chile Powder
• 1 tsp Ground Mustard
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a skillet cook ground beef until brown.
2. Add peppers, onions and garlic and cook until soft.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
4. Serve on allergy-friendly bread or in a baked potato.

You may also enjoy Easy Pulled Barbecue Chicken and Nancy’s Green Beans and Sausage.

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