korean beef + green beans

above: a picture of korean beef

below: a picture of winnie trying to sneak a bite of said korean beef

This dish is one of my favorite weeknight meals! It makes perfect leftovers, and it's easy to pack for work. 

And it's a great way to take in a lot of veggies. 

The beef is sweet & spicy & full of flavor. The cold crunchy veg on top is a must. It brightens up the dish and makes you feel good. 

And the green beans - classic chinese buffet style. Very soft & sweet & garlicky, with a little zip from the red pepper flakes. 

korean beef

ingredients:

for the beef:
     -- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
     -- 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
     -- 2 tbsp butter
     -- 1 tbsp minced garlic
     -- 1/2 tsp minced ginger
     -- 1 pound lean ground beef
     -- 1/3 cup brown sugar
     -- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
     -- 1 tbsp sesame oil
     -- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
     -- salt & pepper
optional for topping:
     -- sliced bell peppers
     -- shredded carrots

for the green beans:
     -- 12 oz of fresh green beans, with the ends trimmed
     -- 2 tbsp butter
     -- 1 tbsp minced garlic
     -- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
     -- 2 tbsp honey
     -- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
     -- salt & pepper

directions:

*the green beans take a little longer to cook than the beef, so you'll want to start with the green beans, and once they're in the skillet, start the beef. 

for the beef:
     1. Add butter to a skillet over medium heat.
     2. Once melted, add chopped onions & bell peppers. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until soft. 
     3. Add minced garlic & ginger, being careful not to burn the garlic - burnt garlic tastes horrible! Cook for 1 minute, while stirring. Transfer the           onion mixture to a plate. 
     4. Using the same skillet, add the ground beef and cook over medium heat until brown. While the beef is cooking, get out a small bowl and             add the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, & red pepper flakes, and stir. 
     5. When the beef is brown, transfer to a colander and drain the grease. Return the beef to the skillet, and add the onion mixture.
     6. Give the soy sauce mixture another stir, and add to the beef. Turn the heat to low, and let it cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add           salt & pepper to taste. 
     7. Serve over brown rice or quinoa, and add sliced bell peppers and shredded carrots on top! 

for the green beans:
     1. Add butter to a stainless steel skillet over medium heat. 
     2. Once melted, add green beans and cook for 20-30 minutes. To get the chinese buffet style green beans, you need to cook them for a                     while. They'll begin to wilt and get soft. You can leave the heat on medium - just be sure to keep an eye on it, and stir it occasionally.                   Don't let it burn! But it's okay to let them stick every now and then.
     3. Remove the skillet from the heat. After it's cooled for a few minutes, add the garlic and stir constantly so it won't burn. 
     4. Return the skillet to a low heat, and add the soy sauce, honey & red pepper flakes. You might want to start with less of everything, and                 add more as you see fit. Add salt & pepper to taste. 
     5. Let it cook for another 5 minutes. 
     6. Serve with the korean beef!