From EatingWell: September/October 2007, EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook (2008)
Very finely chopping onion, mushrooms and carrots in the food processor is not only fast—it makes the vegetables hard to detect for picky eaters. They also form the base for the sauce of this ground beef skillet supper. Make it a meal: Serve with a green salad.
This is a great basic recipe. Use your imagination and/or read some of the reviews for some very workable ideas, and bump this one up to a "fave".
Yes it needs more salt. Has no one heard of Mortons Lite Salt? This is 1/2 the sodium and all the taste. Try it!
I have tried a few of the suggestions, and a few of my own add ins, and will use this recipe often.
Sidney, Florida
This recipe is a staple in our house, I love it! But I do make some changes to the recipe -- find them here: http://eating-made-easy.com/2010/10/24/homemade-hamburger-helper/ -- otherwise I find the dish bland. But give it a try with these changes--you'll love it!
Amelia
www.eating-made-easy.com
I thought this recipe was easy to prepare, and was a good comfort food dinner, but I agree with the comments above regarding the recipe being bland. I made the recipe exactly as stated above with no substitutions. I will make this recipe again, but I have a few tips or thoughts for next time:
1) I tried the technique described in the recipe for processing the veg, but ended up with more of a puree than a fine chop. I don't know if this was really that bad, but next time I will experiment and use the shredder on my processor to see if I end up with actual bits of veggies.
2) I will definitely use more Worchestire Sauce, more herbs and some tomato paste next time.
3) Because the recipe is bland, my husband added a little shredded cheddar to the top of his serving. I know that this reduces the health factor a bit, but it really added to the flavor.
I would only use this recipe if I could substitute veggie products for the meat and cheese. Too much cholesterol! Who financed your education? The beef industry?
I'm so glad I found this recipe, it's one pot comfort food! It was excellent and my by boyfriend didn't even realize it had whole grain pasta. I used half the mushrooms and added more carrots and was able to "sneak" the mushrooms in that way. I used oregano instead of thyme as well. I'm not one to repeat recipes but this was so good & easy I probably will. I've already thought of a few variations such as subbing cheese and tomato paste for sour cream for cheeseburger macaroni and following the concept using bow tie pasta, chicken and maybe pesto for a one pot chicken pasta.
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I would want to sub something
I would want to sub something healthy for the meat as well but this was a recpe for a hamburger helper sub not a vegan or vegetarian helper....You could up the mushrooms to sub for the meat...Or get some veg meat at the store or make your own (Try TVP or seasoned Tofu or Tempeh) Or you could post some constructive ideas to sub for the meat...IF done right you dont need the meat and use the sauce as is with the noodles...
Im all for a vegan/vegetarian diet but thats my choice (For my health) others make their own choices which should be respected..And if you read the comments throughly youd have seen that many people subbed turkey for the beef...Thats a step in a more healthful recipe..