This recipe will feed three people easily

It has less steps than awemazing meatballs under the My recipes section

1 pound of lean ground beef

2 TBLSP. a light cooking oil such as grapeseed or sunflower or canola

1 TBLSP. butter

salt and pepper

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup tomato sauce–you can also use V8 juice

1/2 cup water

2TBLSP. Maple Syrup (No you may not use fake pancake syrup)

1/2 celery medium dice

1/2 medium onion medium dice

two cloves of garlic diced

1/2 cup lentils

Method:

place meat in bowl and sprinkle with pinch of salt and pepper and give it a mix

In large saucepan melt butter with oil on medium heat

drop meat by small roughly shaped balls into hot pan and allow to brown, turn them and add vegetables keep cooking and once they are browned add vinegar, tomatoes and water,  bring to a boil and add lentils.  Add Maple Syrup.

Continue to boil for five minutes and reduce heat to medium low, and cover.  Continue to cook for 30 minutes

if you find the sauce is too thin at serving time, mix 1 tsp. corn starch with 2 TBLSP. water and pour into sauce.  stir and Cook for two minutes and serve.

**While your meat and sauce are cooking, cut into quarters, potatoes with light skin.  We call these New Potatoes.  It is not necessary to peel them.  The skin is soft and easy to chew and so good for you.  Cover with water, a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook for approx. 20 minutes or until a fork pierces potatoes easily.  Drain water and add 1 TBLSP. butter and chopped green onions or chives.  With two knives, chop potatoes in the pot so that they look partially mashed.

Serve in a bowl with meatball mixture over top.

Options:

*you can slice some carrots and cook them in the sauce with the meat.

*You can add 1 cup of frozen peas in the last five minutes of cooking time.

*You can saute some sliced mushrooms along with the celery and onion

*serve with a tossed salad.

This meal can be prepared from start to finish, in 40 minutes.