beef

01.20.20

Korean Ground Beef Bowls (Meal Prep!)

Posted on by Lexi's Clean Kitchen , Views: 4801

Sweet, salty and with a hint of spice, this Korean Ground Beef recipe is a take on the classic dish of beef bulgogi. Prepared in well under 20 minutes, these Korean Ground Beef Bowls are simple to prepare, so delicious and absolutely perfect for meal prep! This dish is also dairy and gluten free, as well as low-carb and paleo-friendly. Made in partnership with my friends at Ello Products.

Korean ground beef bowls.Korean Ground Beef Meal Prep

When it comes to eating healthy and fueling your body, there is one strategy that seems to work above all else: plan ahead! Making a plan and prepping the food is the best way to make sure you actually have access to and eat what food makes your body feel it’s best. And that is exactly where these Korean Ground Beef Bowls come in! They check off all the boxes:

  • So delicious
  • Simple to make
  • Uses only a few ingredients
  • Keeps well for a few days

Making these ground beef bowls is as easy as cooking up some ground beef with Korean inspired flavors, and pairing it with some quickly sautéed cauliflower rice, and some chopped fresh veggies. Top with some gochujang sauce or other spicy sauce for an extra kick and some sesame seeds.

Korean ground beef in a pan.

Korean Ground Beef Ingredients

While our take is by no means authentic, the inspiration from this ground beef bowl comes from the flavors of beef bulgogi. The quickly seared beef is flavored with a little bit of sweet, a little bit of salty and optionally some heat. While we list red pepper flakes in the ingredients, if you happen to have Gochujang at home, feel free to use that in the recipe!

  • Avocado Oil
  • Ground Beef
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Scallions
  • Coconut Aminos (a soy sauce substitute)
  • Coconut Sugar
  • Sesame Oil
  • Red Pepper Flakes (or gochujang)

To serve this ground beef recipe, pair it with either cauliflower rice or white rice, and add in some fresh carrots and cucumber!

Korean ground beef meal prep.

Why we LOVE Meal Prepping in Ello Storage Containers

We’ve been using Ello DuraGlass Meal Prep Containers for about 2 years now and they have been our favorite storage containers by far. Not only are the colorful silicone sleeves cute and helpful in pairing the containers with the matching lid, but they also serve a purpose! The silicone protects the glass and they act as as a trivet so a dish can go from the freezer or refrigerator, to the toaster oven (or microwave) and then right to the table. 

I love using glass for storage (and re-heating) because it’s free of harmful chemicals, can be heated in the oven (without lids), toaster oven or microwave and is (top-rack) dishwasher safe. Plus the crystal clear Tritan lid and colorful silicone sleeve let’s me easily see what is in the containers so I can keep my refrigerator more organized. This is especially helpful when you have a refrigerator full of meal prep and you need to stay organized.

Plus these air-tight lids WILL NOT leak, and that is always a bonus when commuting with your lunch to work!Korean ground beef bowls in meal prep containers.

How long will this Korean Beef meal prep last?

Ground beef keeps really well in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. We prepped these bowls with cauliflower rice, thinly sliced cucumbers and carrots to create a filling and healthy bowl, which generally will keep well in the refrigerator about 3 days. If you prefer to have really fresh vegetables feel free to portion out the ground beef ahead of time in the meal prep containers and add the veggies the night before or that morning.

If you like this meal prep recipe, check out these others:

Korean Ground Beef Bowls

Print shopping list
Prep Time 00:05 Cook Time 00:12 Total Time 00:22 Serves 4

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, cook beef until no pink remains, about 8 minutes. Drain any excess oil, except 1 tablespoon.
  2. Add garlic, ginger and half of the sliced scallions to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Add in coconut aminos, coconut sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes
  4. Stir in remaining scallions, taste and adjust seasoning.
  5. Serve over cauliflower rice, with cucumbers and carrots and sesame seeds for garnish.
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There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you! However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use in my own home! Thank you for supporting Lexi's Clean Kitchen when you shop! See my privacy policy for more information about this, the information we save, and more!
10.23.19

Beef Barbacoa Recipe (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)

Posted on by Lexi , Views: 135167

This Beef Barbacoa Recipe, made in either the Slow Cooker or Instant Pot, is so flavorful and versatile. This barbacoa meat is perfect for tacos, meal prep bowls, served with rice or cauliflower rice.

Barbacoa meat on a taco with toppingsBeef Barbacoa Recipe

My go-to dinner when I’m serving a crowd is almost always tacos. And this Beef Barbacoa recipe is easiest way to get delicious, hearty, taco meat on the table. It’s easy to throw together, affordable, and everybody loves it. You can make it in either the slow cooker or Instant Pot. This barbacao meat also works great for meal prep for a variety of meals. Serve over a bed of lettuce for a taco salad, or over rice with some veggies for a taco bowl.

Braised beef barbacoa recipeHow to Make Instant Pot Barbacoa:

  1. In a small bowl whisk together the spices and then rub them all over beef.
  2. Sear the meat on all sides.
  3. Add in the remaining ingredients to make the sauce and cook on high pressure for 50 minutes with a natural release.
  4. Once done, shred with two forks and serve as desired.

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa:

  1. Pre-heat broiler.
  2. In a small bowl whisk together the spices and then rub them all over beef.
  3. Sear the meat on all sides under the broiler.
  4. Meanwhile, add diced tomato, chiles, onion, garlic, vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper to a large slow cooker. Add in the seared beef and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
  5. Once done, shred and use as desired.

How to Make Barbacoa Meat on the Stove Top or Oven:

Don’t have an Instant Pot or Slow Cooker? You can still make this barbacao recipe, using the same idea of cooking this low and slow. On the stove top, use a dutch oven and follow the same directions to sear the meat on all sides. Then, add all your ingredients, cover and cook on low on the stove until the meat is tender and falling apart, about 3-4 hours.

For the oven, sear the meat in a dutch oven. Once you’ve added all the ingredients, place in a preheated 300ºF for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling apart.

shredded beef barbacoa meat with a fork

What Kind of Meat is Barbacoa?

This recipe calls for buying beef to make the barbacoa meat. You want to use a piece of beef that has a nice amount of fat marbling and that can withstand a long cook time in the slow cooker and pressure cooker. For this this recipe use:

  • Chuck roast
  • Beef shoulder
  • Brisket

Barbacoa Taco Toppings:

  • Tortillas (not a topping, but a must!)
  • Shredded Cheddar
  • Diced Tomatoes
  • Sliced Pickled Jalapeños
  • Shredded Lettuce
  • Chopped Scallions
  • Avocado Slices
  • Fresh Lime Wedges
  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Hot Sauce

Sides to Serve with Barbacoa Meat:

barbaca meat on a taco

If you like this beef barbacoa recipe, try these other recipes: 

Beef Barbacoa

Print shopping list
Prep Time 8 min Cook Time 7 hr Total Time 7:08

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lb. grass-fed beef shoulder

Rub

Sauce

Directions

  1. Put broiler on high.
  2. In a bowl combine rub ingredients.
  3. Press rub ingredients into the beef shoulder on all sides.
  4. Broil on high for 4 minutes on each side.
  5. While in the oven, combine all sauce ingredients in your slow-cooker.
  6. Once beef is done in the oven, carefully place it into the slow-cooker and set on low for 7-8 hours.
  7. Once done, assemble as a salad or breakfast bowl with desired toppings: fried plantains, tomato, lettuce, onion, scallion, avocado, etc. or serve as tacos

Recipe Notes

How to make Beef Barbacoa in the Instant Pot:

  1. In a bowl combine rub ingredients. Press the dry rub ingredients into the beef shoulder on all sides.
  2. Sear meat using sauté function for 2 minutes on each side, then remove and set aside.
  3. Combine all sauce ingredients in the insert of your instant pot.
  4. Place beef into the insert of your Instant Pot and set on high pressure for 50 minutes.
  5. Once done, let naturally release. Shred with two forks.
  6. Assemble as a salad or breakfast bowl with desired toppings: fried plantains, tomato, lettuce, onion, scallion, avocado, etc. or serve as tacos!
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There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you! However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use in my own home! Thank you for supporting Lexi's Clean Kitchen when you shop! See my privacy policy for more information about this, the information we save, and more!
05.12.19

7 Layer Taco Dip

Posted on by Lexi , Views: 177214

This 7 Layer Taco Dip is just what any party, or fun Saturday night needs! 7 layers of Mexican inspired flavor that is so delicious! This dip is gluten-free and optionally dairy-free and paleo!

7 layer taco dip recipe with meat and chips7 Layer Taco Dip Recipe

Is there any better food to bring to a pot luck or serve at your own party than a 7 Layer Taco Dip? Don’t think so! This classic dip is made healthier here with a few homemade substitutes for standard store-bought ingredients, and so so worth it! This version is gluten-free and we offer a few substitutions to make it paleo and dairy free if you need it.

Be warned: there is no way there will be any leftovers when this dish is served, so make sure you get in there early if you want to have some yourself!

How to make a 7 Layer Taco Dip

Make or gather all of the layers!

  • Layer 1: Refried Beans (or extra guacamole for paleo/whole30)
  • Layer 2: Cooked beef mixture
  • Layer 3: Salsa
  • Layer 4: Guacamole
  • Layer 5: Cooked beef mixture
  • Layer 6: Cheddar cheese (substitute another layer of salsa for paleo/whole30/dairy-free)
  • Layer 7: Chopped Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion

Layer in all of the ingredients in an oven 8″x8″ (or similarly sized ) oven safe dish. After placing in cheddar cheese put in the oven to melt. Layer on the remaining and serve with hearty tortilla chips and veggies.

baked 7 layer taco dip with meat

Can this be made ahead of time?

You can assemble and prep this entire dish 1 day ahead of time, with the exception of adding the fresh ingredients on top. You can prep those ahead of time though and have them all ready to go for your party. Right before serving place the assembled dip under the broiler to warm up and melt the cheese, and then top with fresh lettuce, tomato and onion.

What to serve with this dip?

Serve it with the classics: Tortilla chips (either corn or a grain free option like Siete) and veggies like celery, cucumber, peppers or carrots.

Best ever Mexican layer dip with chip

If you like this dip recipe, check out these others:

7 Layer Taco Dip

Print shopping list
Prep Time 20 min Cook Time 10 min Total Time 0:30

Ingredients

    Layers

    Refried black beans

    Beef mixture

    Salsa

    • Store-bought or homemade

    Guacamole

    Directions

  • 1. Make refried black beans- Heat 1 tbsp oil of choice in a pan
  • 2. Add in beans and let heat for 3-5 minutes, begin mashing
  • 3. Add in spices, mash and mix well
  • 4. Add in 2 tbsp water; mix until water is combined
  • 5. Remove from heat and set aside
  • 6. Make beef- in a skillet heat oil and garlic
  • 7. Add in beef and cook until brown
  • 8. Add in tomatoes, spices, and hot sauce; let cook for 3-5 minutes then remove from heat and set aside
  • 9. Make guacamole and chop lettuce, tomato, and onions for layer 7
  • 10. Once all the layers are prepared, start assembling in your dish; serve and enjoy!
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    There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you! However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use in my own home! Thank you for supporting Lexi's Clean Kitchen when you shop! See my privacy policy for more information about this, the information we save, and more!
    04.21.19

    Paleo Asian Beef and “Rice” Meal Prep

    Posted on by Lexi , Views: 96578
    Slow Cooker Asian Beef Bowls [low-carb, grain-free, dairy-free] | Lexi's Clean Kitchen

    This healthy asian paleo beef recipe, made mostly in the slow cooker, is the perfect make ahead lunch or dinner! It’s paired with cauliflower “rice” and veggies and is a great low-carb, whole30 and paleo meal prep. Double the recipe and you can also make it dinner one night and lunch for the next few days!

    Paleo beefPaleo Asian Beef Rice Bowl

    This Whole30, Keto and Paleo Asian Beef and Rice bowl is a great addition to your meal prep rotation! The savory shredded beef is cooked in a slow cooker and then served with veggies, paleo cauliflower rice and a really delicious asian style sauce. We use onions, red pepper and broccoli but you can really swap out with any veggies you have on hand that you think will go well in this dish like carrots, bok choy, or cauliflower.

    Paleo beef rice recipe

    What You Need to Make this Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Recipe:

    • Boneless chuck roast (feel free to double this amount if you want extra meat for future meals)
    • Coconut aminos (this is a soy-free and gluten-free alternative to soy sauce)
    • Coconut sugar
    • Rice wine vinegar
    • Garlic
    • Toasted sesame oil
    • Ginger 
    • Cauliflower (to make the grain-free “rice”)
    • Red bell pepper
    • Onion
    • Broccoli florets
    • Scallions
    • Sesame seeds

    Can You Use Premade or Frozen Cauliflower Rice?

    Yes! We take advantage of frozen cauliflower all the time, and love that it’s readily available now. There isn’t much difference between fresh or frozen except that the frozen can hold a little bit more water in it. So if you don’t want to do the extra step of making your own cauliflower rice, feel free to use premade!

    Slow Cooker Asian Beef Bowls | Lexi's Clean KitchenWatch the video:

    If you like this asian inspired recipe, check out these others:

    Crock-Pot Asian Beef & Paleo 'Rice' Bowls

    Print shopping list
    Prep Time 00:10 Cook Time 04:00 Total Time 4:10 Serves 4

    Ingredients

    • 2 lb grass-fed boneless chuck steak

    Marinade

    Paleo Rice Bowls

    Directions

    1. Season chuck with salt and pepper and in a large skillet, greased, sear on both sides for 30 seconds.
    2. Place boneless chuck steak in slow cooker.
    3. In a bowl mix together marinade and pour over chuck. Cook on high for 4 hours.
    4. Once done, remove from crock-pot and shred, discarding the fat.
    5. Pulse cauliflower in food processor until rice-sized pieces form.
    6. In a pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 garlic clove for 30 seconds until flagrant. Add cauliflower rice and mix for 3 to 5 minutes until softened. Remove from heat and set aside.
    7. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to pan along with last garlic clove. Add in veggies and sauté for 5-8 minutes until translucent. Add coconut aminos, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt. Mix and let cook for an additional 5-8 minutes, until soft. Add in shredded beef and let cook together for 5 minutes.
    8. Assemble: In a bowl, add cauli rice and then add veggie/beef mixture. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.

    Recipe Notes

    • You can mix up any vegetables you have on hand!
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    There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you! However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use in my own home! Thank you for supporting Lexi's Clean Kitchen when you shop! See my privacy policy for more information about this, the information we save, and more!
    03.17.19

    Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

    Posted on by Lexi , Views: 127518
    Slow Cooker Beef Stew [paleo-friendly, grain-free, dairy-free] | Lexi's Clean Kitchen

    This Slow-Cooker Beef Stew is the perfect healthy comfort food for cold days! It’s hearty, flavorful, packed with veggies, and easy to make right in your crock pot. Make it for a cold winter night, or a festive St. Patrick’s Day meal! Beef stew is a simple recipe that will wow everyone who tries it.

    Traditional Beef Stew Recipe

    The Slow Cooker is an amazing phenomenon in my opinion. Even those friends of mine who aren’t big cookers use it! Throw all the ingredients in with the right flavor combo and BOOM: the perfect stew. It’s hands off, easy to use, and safe!

    What is Irish stew made of?

    Filled with beef, carrots, mushrooms, onions, and potatoes is the perfect main dish for your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The beef is so tender, it just melts in your mouth!

    Tips For Slow Cooker Beef Stew

    • Brown your meat
    • Don’t use too much liquid
    • Don’t skimp on the cook time
    • Layer your beef and veggies
    • Set it and forget it! The beauty of a slow cooker!

    Ultimate Slow Cooker Beef Stew

    This stew is: hearty, flavorful, tender melt-in-your-mouth beef, and packed with veggies! It is also paleo-friendly, dairy-free, whole30 compliant and has no sugar added… does it get any better than that? I love making this soup at the beginning of the week and enjoy it all week long!

    What defines a stew?

    • In a stew you aren’t looking for the consistency of a soup, so minimizing added liquids is helpful!
    • Beef stew doesn’t need to be super, super thick. You’ll most likely be using potatoes, and their starch will naturally thicken your stew! If not, don’t worry, this stew thickens whithout it, too.

    What kind of beef is used for stew?

    You can buy beef stew meat, which is cut and cubed and is generally chuck or round! Beef round cuts (bottom and eye) are generally leaner than chuck (shoulder, leg and butt) and very well-suited to stew.

    I always add beef stew meat to my ButcherBox order in the cold weather months. Each month, ButcherBox  curates a one-of-a-kind selection of the healthiest, tastiest meats, humanely raised and free of antibiotics and hormones. Or you can customize your box and select your favorite cuts and get 20% more meat.The price works out to less than $6.00/meal and shipping is always free. You can also space it out so it’s not every 4 weeks, too! ButcherBox delivers your meat for the month, saves you money, and is the best quality! Order Today and get this amazing deal:

    • Get FREE bacon
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    Can you put raw meat in a slow cooker?

    You certainly can, but for this beef stew recipe, we prefer to sear the meat first to bring out the amazing flavor that you’ll get!

    Easy Beef Stew

    Tools used to make this easy slow cooker beef stew recipe:

    • Slow Cooker: Inexpensive and works great. I’ve had mine for years!
    • Cast Iron Skillet: I like a nice, hot cast iron skillet to sear our stew meat!
    • Chef’s Knife: My go-to chef’s knife. Use whatever you have on hand!
    • Tongs: To easily flip the meat while searing.
    • Cutting Board: A good cutting board, of course! To chop all those veggies!

    Want other slow cooker recipes? Try these favorites:

    If you like this beef stew recipe, make these other St Patrick’s Day Favorites:

    Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

    Print shopping list
    Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 8 hr Total Time 8:10 Serves 6

    Ingredients

    Directions

    1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Sear meat for about 3 minutes on each side, until brown. Set aside.
    2. Place meat and vegetables in the crockpot
    3. Add in broth, tomato paste, tapioca, and spices
    4. Mix well to combine
    5. Set on low for 8-10 hours
    6. After 7 hours, taste and adjust spices to your liking (i.e. add additional salt, cayenne, or red pepper flakes)
    7. Remove bay leaf and serve hot
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    There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you! However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use in my own home! Thank you for supporting Lexi's Clean Kitchen when you shop! See my privacy policy for more information about this, the information we save, and more!
    10.29.18

    Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff

    Posted on by Lexi's Clean Kitchen , Views: 25068

    This Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff recipe is an easy weeknight dinner win! This classic American dish comes together quick, with minimal prep and mostly hands-off cooking thanks to the Instant Pot. It’s made using REAL ingredients and is so hearty! It’s paleo and Whole30 friendly (if served without noodles), dairy and gluten free and a delicious meal the whole family will love!

    Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff

    Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff

    Honestly I’d never tried beef stroganoff before making this recipe, but I’m glad I finally did because it’s such a delicious and easy dinner! It’s one of the most popular google dinner searches, so we knew it was time to make a cleaned up version that didn’t require any canned soup or junky ingredients. Our version here is dairy-free (made creamy with coconut cream) and option to serve it with gluten-free noodles or over zoodles (we recommend sweet potato, butternut squash or carrot zoodles).

    We love the rich and hearty flavor to the sauce! We use paprika, mustard and tomato paste to add a depth and umami flavor to the sauce, that is then thickened up with a bit of arrowroot and rounded out with our non-dairy choice of coconut cream. You can’t taste the coconut in it either!

    Our choice for beef was to use a sirloin steak, but if you can’t find that some other options would be a chuck roast or top round. Just make sure to slice it thinly!

    Instant pot beef stroganoff paleo

    How do you make beef stroganoff in the Instant Pot?

    We opted to make this Beef Stroganoff in the Instant Pot because it makes for really tender meat thanks to the pressure cooker and largely hands-off cooking after you’ve sauteed the aromatics and built up the flavor. So while the recipes says it takes about an hour to make, most of this time it is hands-off cooking so you can be getting other tasks done while dinner is cooking.

    To make in the Instant Pot:

    1. Saute your aromatics (we use mushrooms, onions and garlic) and beef
    2. Add your base flavors in (we use paprika, mustard and tomato paste to build up a nice rich flavor)
    3. Deglaze with liquid and cook in high pressure!
    4. After you release the pressure we add in a thickener and creaminess (coconut cream) to finish it off.
    5. Serve with gluten-free pasta or noodles and ENJOY!

    How do you make beef stroganoff in a pressure cooker

    If you like this Instant Pot recipe, check out these others:

    Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff

    Print shopping list
    Prep Time 00:05 Cook Time 00:37 Inactive Time 00:15 Total Time 00:57 Serves 6

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon avocado oil, divided
    • 10 ounces (about 10) cremini or baby bella mushrooms, stem removed and sliced
    • 1 medium onion, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1.5 pounds beef sirloin (see note), thinly sliced about 2" long
    • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    • 2 teaspoon fish sauce
    • 1/2 cup bone broth or beef broth.
    • 1 tablespoon arrowroot
    • 1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
    • 1/4 cup coconut cream
    • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped, for garnish
    • 12 ounces cooked gluten free noodles or zoodles, for serving

    Directions

    1. Set a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker) to saute. Once hot add 1 tablespoon oil and cook mushrooms until all the liquid has evaporated about 7 minutes.
    2. Add remaining oil and add onion, cooking until beginning to soften about 5 minutes.
    3. Add garlic and beef and stir, cooking for 2 minutes until it begins to brown.
    4. Add spices, tomato paste, and mustard and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
    5. Shut off the saute and add red wine vinegar, fish sauce, broth and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cook on high pressure (manual) for 12 minutes and allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes before manually releasing the remaining pressure.
    6. Meanwhile in a small bowl a slurry by mixing together 2 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of arrowroot.
    7. Add 1 tablespoon of the slurry to the sauce at a time, until it has reached the consistency you desire. Add frozen peas (if using), coconut cream and cook an additional 3 minutes.
    8. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning.
    9. Serve over gluten-free noodles or zoodles.

    Recipe Notes

    1. If you can't find a sirloin steak you can also use top round or a chuck roast.
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    There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you! However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use in my own home! Thank you for supporting Lexi's Clean Kitchen when you shop! See my privacy policy for more information about this, the information we save, and more!