Name: Meaty Black Bean Chili
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Yield: 9 cups
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 pound lean ground pork; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 large canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (about 2 tbsp); 1 cup beef broth; 1 680ml can tomato sauce; 1 540ml can diced tomatoes with juice; 1 cup diced green pepper (about 1 medium); 1 cup diced onion (about 1 small onion); 4 tsp chili powder; 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp sugar; 1 540ml can black beans (rinsed and drained); 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (plus more for garnish); as needed sliced green onion; as needed grated cheddar cheese

Beef & Snow Pea Stir Fry

by Compelled to Cook | May 5, 2023 | BEEF | 0 comments

Beef & Snow Pea Stir Fry

Hello everyone!! It’s been awhile since my last blog post and I am excited to share my Beef & Snow Pea Stir Fry. At times life calls for focus elsewhere, and far away to elsewhere I went. There was a time when I would have exhausted myself to do it all, but to what end I had to ask myself. As I get older, I realize that I am a priority as much as anything and doing something for the sake of just getting it done is not the same as doing it for the joy it brings me. Sooo, now that I have moved, dealt with the death of my mother, moved again, cleaned up a hoarder’s home, renovated my own home and assisted my father with a broken femur, I am ready to get back to me. And by me, I mean food of course LOL!

I’ve truly missed being part of the foodie community and participating in my passion. This creative outlet and meaningful pursuit bring me a lot of joy. I’m also very excited to share that I’ve finally stepped into the world of video. It’s been great to learn and challenge myself, and I’m sure that my “being on camera” nerves will calm as it becomes my norm. You can find me on YouTube @compelledtocook and as time goes I will include videos here on the blog for some of my existing posts. My channel is very new and I still have plenty to learn and improve upon, but I hope you’ll join me in my endeavour. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a great recipe video. If you’ve been hanging around wondering if I’d ever post again, I thank you for your patience, and if you’re new to my blog, I welcome you.

Beef & Snow Pea Stir Fry is quick, simple and flavourful. Thinly sliced beef gets fried quickly over high heat to keep it tender, while crisp and healthy snow peas balance the umami “ish” sauce. Let’s talk about the beef for a moment. There are several cuts that work well, and I have a couple of tricks to create tender, silky beef. My cuts of choice are tenderloin, strip loin or flank steak. Regardless of the cut you choose it is imperative that you cut it thinly across the natural grain of the meat to ensure a chewable bite.

The second trick is to add a small amount of baking soda (mixed with soy sauce) to the slices and allow to marinate. The baking soda helps to break down the meat fibres and create a silky texture. If using tenderloin, the need to marinate is less because it’s already a very tender cut of meat, however, I still do. Just marinate it for a shorter length of time, about 30-60 minutes. If using other cuts I recommend marinating for 1-2 hours. Please know that more soda does NOT mean more tender. It only adds a sharp taste to the meat, so resist the urge to do so. Beef and Snow Pea Stir Fry is wonderful served over rice or your favourite noodle. Enjoy!

Author: Compelled to Cook

Beef & Snow Pea Stir Fry

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Marinating time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings 4

Ingredients

Beef

10 ounces beef, thinly sliced across the grain, see notes
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp baking soda

Stir Fry

10-12 ounces snow peas
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup beef broth, cold
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp sugar
1/4-1/2 tsp red chili flakes
as needed canola oil
as needed scallions, thinly sliced
as needed sesame seeds

Instructions

Beef

Toss beef with ginger and minced garlic.
In a small bowl stir together soy sauce and baking soda. Pour over beef and mix well to evenly coat the beef slices (I use my hands to ensure it's mixed well). Set in the fridge to marinate for 30-120 minutes depending on cut used. (see notes)
While the beef is marinating whisk together beef broth and cornstarch (see notes). Stir in oyster sauce, sugar and chili flakes.

Stir Fry

Prep snow peas by trimming the ends and removing the side string.
Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add a generous splash of oil. When the oil is hot add the beef, separating the slices with your hands as you add it. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until just cooked through and starting to brown. Remove to a clean bowl and cover.
Add the 1/4 cup of water and snow peas to the wok and cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the water has cooked off and the peas are starting to soften but are still slightly crisp (they will continue to cook in the sauce).
Add the sauce to the snow peas and cook for about a minute, stirring until the sauce fully thickens. Add the beef and stir to combine and warm.
Serve over rice or desired noodles and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

Notes

-Several cuts of beef will work. I enjoy tenderloin or strip loin, however, flank steak will work well too. Be sure to cut the beef into thin strips across the grain.

-If using tenderloin, marinating for 30-60 minutes is enough, it's already a tender cut. If using strip loin or flank 1-2 hours is best.

-Cornstarch dissolves better in cool liquids, so if your broth is hot, allow it to cool first. It will also dissolve better in the broth as opposed to the thick oyster sauce.

Product Favourites!

Beef and Black Bean Quesadillas

by Compelled to Cook | Apr 12, 2021 | BEEF | 0 comments

Beef and Black Bean Quesadillas

Beef and Black Bean Quesadillas are on regular rotation in my house. They’re not only quick and easy but tasty, family-approved and customizable. I like to use cheddar cheese and load mine up with fresh cilantro. But Monterey jack, spicy Mexican blend, or mozzarella cheese are also great options. Go ahead and be adventurous with the toppings too. Sour cream and salsa are always family favourites but also try diced avocado, taco sauce, pickled jalapeños, green onion…and the list goes on. But that’s what makes it fun and perfect for the whole family.

There’s a huge variety of tortillas available too. I like the flour and corn blend while my husband prefers plain flour. These are the basic options, you may want to try a multigrain, garden vegetable or sun-dried tomato tortilla. Again, there are lots of options to please everyone.

Sauteed beef, onions and green peppers in a cast iron skillet in preparation for Beef and Black Bean Quesadillas.

Beef and Black Bean Quesadillas ready to be folded in a skillet.

The black beans extend the ground beef, making these budget-friendly too. You can easily cut back on the ground beef further and sub in a few more black beans. I like just enough to give a little texture, fibre and added nutrition. I use drained and rinsed canned black beans out of convenience but you can certainly cook your own dried beans, which will reduce the cost further. Beef and Black Bean Quesadillas are a great weeknight meal for the whole family no matter how you stack them up. You’ll want them on regular rotation, enjoy!

Beef and Black Bean Quesadillas cut and stacked three high on a wooden plate, garnished with cilantro and lime.

Author: Compelled to Cook