Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes

12 ounces lean ground beef (90 percent lean or higher)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces sliced white button mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned and finely chopped

One 15-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1½ tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon powdered mustard

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 whole-wheat hamburger buns

Brown the beef in a very large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks, for 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a plate.

Add the oil to the pan (medium-high heat); once the oil shimmers, stir in the onion and peppers; cook for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions have picked up a little color and peppers have softened. Stir in the garlic; cook for 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until they release their moisture and begin to brown.

Reduce the heat to medium. Return the beef to the skillet, then stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, molasses, chili powder, vinegar, powdered mustard, salt and pepper, until well blended. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens and most of its liquid has evaporated.

To serve, pile about ¾ cup of the mixture onto each split hamburger bun. Serve warm.

Serves 4

Nutrition | Per serving: 410 calories, 27 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates, 15 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 520 mg sodium, 8 g dietary fiber, 17 g sugar

From nutritionist and cookbook author Ellie Krieger