Low Carb Take on Sloppy Joe's

Sloppy Joes are a nostalgic recipe for a lot of people. I personally remember having them when I was in elementary school from the school cafeteria, and it was always a special day! Traditionally, these would be served on a bun and with ground beef and possibly some tater tots on the side. 

While this may still sound pretty yummy, living a healthier lifestyle after surgery challenges you to get a bit creative. I would personally say that 90% of the time, I’ve fallen in love with healthier versions of family recipes or nostalgic meals. 

Let’s take a look at this low carbohydrate take on Sloppy Joes by the Peace, Love and Low Carb blog! 

Low Carb Sloppy Joe Recipe by Peace, Love and Low Carb

Serving Size: ½ Stuffed Bell Pepper

Makes 8 Servings

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 large bell peppers (any color)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ pounds ground beef (Ground Turkey for leaner option)
• 1 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon or regular mustard
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
• Cut the peppers in half vertically and remove the ribs and seeds. Place the peppers on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are tender.
• While the peppers are in the oven, make the sloppy Joe mixture: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the onion and celery first. Cook until the onion and celery are soft. Then add the garlic and cook until the garlic  is fragrant.
• Add the ground turkey, breaking it up with a spatula, and cook until browned, about 8 minutes.
• Mix in the tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
• Stuff the sloppy Joe mixture into the pepper halves and garnish with the parsley.

Nutrition Information: 200 calories, total carbohydrates 9g, fiber 2g, total sugar 6g, protein 17g

What makes this a great recipe following bariatric surgery?

When looking at the nutrition information for this recipe, everything lines up perfectly. We want to make sure the total carbohydrates are less than 15 grams, total sugars less than 10 grams, and that the protein is higher than the total sugar. 

This is a high protein recipe that incorporates a little heart healthy fat from the olive oil, and vegetables from the bell pepper, onion, and well cooked celery. What a great trifecta! 

You can even add a little avocado or shredded cheese on top to help increase the total calories if you’re struggling to hit 800 calories per day as this is a slightly lower calorie recipe. 

Can I make substitutions?

Definitely! If you don’t like bell peppers, Peace, Love and Low Carb suggests using zucchini boats or portobello mushrooms as an alternative. Additionally, I’m personally not a huge fan of Dijon mustard due to its very distinct flavor. I swapped this out for regular yellow mustard, and they turned out great! 

What if I can’t have celery yet?

To help add a little celery flavor to this recipe, I’ve used a pinch of celery seeds (McCormick) to help get that celery flavor when I didn’t have celery on hand. Sometimes you can find celery powder at the store, but that’s a lot harder to come by.

Give It a Try!

Overall, I would highly recommend this recipe. I’ve personally made this recipe, and can attest to the fact that it is pretty tasty and not overly complicated to make! Give it a try and let us know what you think on our Instagram Story!