Cat’s IIFYM Recipe- Turkish Sasuka

Looking for a better way to eat your vegetables!? Look no further! Minimal prep (really just cutting everything up) and it all just simmers together in a pan on the stove- no fuss about it. Add it on top of your favorite carb (rice, past, sweet potato) or eat plain. This recipe is perfect for your meal prep routine because it makes a TON of volume for 8 servings and will keep you full and your tummy happy until your next meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef (85/15%)
  • 1 lb ground elk
  • yellow onion (finely chopped) 50 grams
  • salt
  • garlic powder
  • pepper
  • parsley
  • oregano
  • basil

Vegetables

  • 2 medium eggplants (600 grams)
  • 3 small zucchini, diced (475 grams)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced (270 grams)
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced (260 grams)
  • 1 yellow onion, diced (300 grams)

Sauce

  • 4 small tomatoes, diced (615 grams)
  • 1 small can tomato paste (4 TBSP)
  • salt
  • garlic powder
  • pepper
  • parsley
  • oregano
  • basil

Directions

  1. Prepare the eggplant: cut off both ends and using the edge of a vegetable peeler or a paring knife, remove the skin in alternating strips going from top to bottom. Do this gently saving as much flesh as you can.
  2. Cut the eggplant into bite-sized rectangular chunks. Put the chunks of eggplant in a large mesh strainer or colander and salt well, turning them with your hands to salt all sides. Let the salted eggplant rest for about 15 minutes while you prepare the other vegetables. (This removes the bitterness)
  3. While the eggplant is sitting in salt; coarsely dice the peppers, onion and zucchini. Measure out the proper amounts of each. (**Keep the zucchini in a separate bowl- you will need to add it in before the peppers and onions**)
  4. Too cook the meat- Combine meats, 50g yellow onion, and seasonings in a pan with a lid. Cook on medium until it starts to brown. Chop it up as it continues to cook and brown up. Once the meat is mostly cooked; turn heat down to low, cover the pan with a lid, and let finish cooking on low while the vegetables are cooking. (Feel free to get crazy with how you would like to season your meat! I listed the spices I used- but feel free to add more or less, or add other spices. Variety is the spice of life J)
  5. Once the vegetables have been chopped and measured out, spray a deep frying pan or saucepan and turn the heat on medium. While the pan is heating, wash the eggplant in the strainer with cold water, turning it with your hands, until the salt is removed. Drain it well and blot off the extra water with paper towels before you cook them.
  6. Cook the eggplant until tender and just beginning to brown at the edges. Add in the zucchini and cook until tender. Set aside in a bowl.
  7. Re- spray your pan and cook the onions, garlic and peppers until tender. Add the zucchini/ eggplant mixture back in, stir, and let cook together for just a minute or two. Put all vegetables in a large serving bowl and set aside.
  8. To make the sauce- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer until the tomatoes are soft and begin to break down. (Again, feel free to get crazy with your spice, I listed what I used but feel free to get creative with it! Just make sure if your add ins have any countable macros- that you add them in to your total)
  9. Remove the lid, stir it well and let the sauce simmer until most of the liquid is reduced. It should be the consistency of jarred pasta sauce.
  10. Serve meat of choice (or no meat at all) and sauce over vegetables and enjoy!

Macro Breakdown

Total servings- 8

Calories per serving- 300

Protein- 25.8 grams

Fat- 13.5 grams

Carbs-18.2 grams

Fiber- 6 grams