I’ll let you in on a secret…
Most of my best ideas happen when I’m in the kitchen, looking in the fridge, trying to think of what to cook.
And that’s exactly how this speedy little number was conceived.
I had mince (ground beef).
I always have mince.
I had some Stilton which needed using up.
And I had rocket and chives in the garden.
Add in my soft spot for alliteration…
You beaut!
(As any self-respecting Australian would say).
But just in case you’re not familiar with Aussie slang…
‘Beaut’ is short for beautiful. And is usually used to describe any highly positive situation.
Such as when one creates a very easy and delicious dinner.
I’ve used 500g (1lb) of meat in the recipe here because that’s the pack size my local farmer sells.
In the past my Irishman and I would share this between us. But these days we’re being more moderate with our meat intake so I keep some of the cooked and seasoned beef aside for lunch the next day.
Enough for: 2
Takes: 15 minutes
Net carbs: 3g/serve
500g (1lb) minced (ground) beef
large bunch chives, chopped
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
100g (3.5oz) blue cheese, crumbled
150g (5oz) bag baby spinach, to serve
1. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan on a medium high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring to break it up with a spatula or spoon.
2. When the beef is well browned, remove from heat. Add chives, soy sauce and blue cheese. Taste and season with more soy if needed.
3. Divide baby spinach between two bowls. Top with beef mixture and serve.
WINE MATCH: A spicy Shiraz or Temperanillo.
Variations & Substitutions
vegetarian – replace beef with cooked lentils or chickpeas or beans (so you’ll still have the alliteration!). Diced cooked mushrooms or eggplant will also work. Blue cheese is fab melted into scrambled eggs.
dairy-free – blue cheese = olives, caper or preserved artichoke hearts. Smoked salted almonds or roast macadamias are also delicious options.
soy-free / no soy sauce – skip it and just season with salt. Or use a splash of balsamic vinegar. Coconut aminos are a great soy-free alternative but they are much sweeter than regular soy so start with just 1 tablespoon and add to taste.
gluten-free – use tamari or other gluten-free soy. Or see the options above.
no chives – soften a diced onion in the pan before cooking the beef. Or replace chives with flat leaf parsley or basil leaves. Or add 1-2 minced cloves garlic to cook with the beef.
more substantial (carb lovers) – cooked pasta or rice.
more substantial (low carb) – use all of the beef. more cheese. roast macadamias or other nuts.
Low FODMAP – just watch the quantity of baby spinach.
different vegetables – any salad leaves or cooked greens (kale is excellent here). Beautiful broccoli. Any roast or grilled veg or ratatouille.
different protein – any minced (ground) meat will work. Sausages. Steak is another option – just slice and stir fry quickly until just browned. Chicken breast or thigh fillets will be fine too. And see the vegetarian ideas.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
minced (ground) beef – freeze it.
chives – will keep in the fridge wrapped in a plastic bag for a few weeks.
soy sauce – keep it in the pantry.
blue cheese – if unopened it usually has a shelf life of a few weeks in the fridge. If it is opened, will only keep for a few days so use for another meal or freeze.
baby spinach – either freeze or wilt down in a pan with a little oil and then keep in the fridge for weeks.
Prepare Ahead
Yes! Just cook as per the recipe but keep the blue cheese and baby spinach separately. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or can be frozen (except the baby spinach). To serve, warm beef in a pan with a little oil then continue as per the recipe.