picadillo with olives and raisins

Today I have a new picadillo recipe with olives and raisins. It is an easy 20 minute one-pot main course made with ground beef, venison or bison and has tons of saucy flavor. Serve it as a filling for tacos in warmed corn tortillas or to keep it paleo (and grain free) try wrapping it in lettuce or cabbage.

In case you missed the news on Instagram or Twitter, WE GOT A PUPPY!!!!! She is a tiny eeeny weeenie rolly polly droopy eyed yellow lab. And as of this moment, she is still unnamed. I am leaning toward Judy right now, but that could change at any moment. Some other contenders are Edith, Coriander and Frito.

It has been more than a year and a half since Chuck died, and we finally decided to open our hearts to another little furry beast.

Even though we are as busy as ever, we decided now was as good a time as any. So that expression, “never a dull moment” yeah, that’s my life. I spent the afternoon yesterday working on edits for Maple, and meanwhile, sweet little no-name puppy was noshing on my Christmas cactus.

But then she looks at me like this. And I am totally okay with that. Eat all the cactus you want sweet puppy girl. Wait is that poisonous?

So food. Yes let’s talk about that before I have to take her to get her sweet little puppy stomach pumped. Like how about the fantastic picadillo recipe I have for you. Sorry was that a gross transition? Wait don’t run away! I also have a Back to Basics tip as well.

Picadillo is a Spanish or Latin American hash of sorts made with ground beef and lots of spice. It is variable by region, but generally it is saucy and has little bits of other stuff in there with the beef. It is big in the Caribbean and is often served with hard boiled egg.

I first ate it when I tested this recipe in the EatingWell test kitchen back in ’03. I think I probably thought the idea of raisins and olives was kind of strange, but after trying it, I realized the sweet raisins and the briney olives are the best part of it. I also love the dusting of cinnamon in it. I should have known I would love it because I am such a sucker for any sweet and savory combo.

Now I make picadillo all the time. I even make picadillo style chili too. I particularly love the fact that it works so well with grass fed beef. We just stocked the freezer last month with a big box of local grass fed beef from my farmer friends Bruce and Beth of Maple Wind Farm. If you favor grass fed beef, you know it can be a lot stronger than corn fed beef, so bold flavors are where its at. The seasoning in picadillo is great because it masks any strong gaminess of the beef.

This week I bought a pound of ground venison at our little market, and I made picadillo with the venison. Like the grass fed beef, the venison’s gaminess blended well with the bold seasonings. {Aside: It’s not just me that thinks so, my friend Amanda also did a similar profile in her Wild Boar Meatball Taco Bowls with Quinoa. See, it’s a thing. Wink!}  I think the venison picadillo came out great and I don’t think my husband or kids even could tell that it wasn’t made with beef. So if you are a hunter, or have venison on hand from a hunter you know, this is an awesome way to prepare it. The sauciness of the tomatoes really makes the ultra lean meat seem more tender.

Which brings me to my Back to Basics tip. I got this tip from my friend Olivia. She is one of the personal trainers and nutritionists who works at Body Resolution.
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BACK TO BASICS

Try one new food or recipe every week: Trying new foods is a great way to promote a healthy lifestyle. It forces you to branch out and experience other food cultures and it’s a great way to increase your intake of healthy nutrients. [/box]
I love this idea! What a fun and positive way to approach healthy eating. Adding that goal to your healthy eating plan this month should be a fun and hopefully delicious challenge.

LINK LOVE

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Bites from Jelly Toast — These would be such a hit at a superbowl party!

Crock Pot Picadillo from Skinny Taste — No raisins in Gina’s slow and easy version.

Baked Chilaquiles with Black Beans and Kale  from the Bojon Gourmet — Love this idea for brunch. {gluten-free}

Golden Beet and Fennel Soup from the Roasted Root — Vegan and Gluten-free and full of fiber. If  golden beets or fennel are new to you, this would be a delicious way to meet that 1 new food a week goal.

QUESTIONS

Have you ever cooked venison?

Do you love sweet and savory combos too?

What new to you foods do you want to try?

Happy Cooking!

~Katie

picadillo with olives and raisins

• Author: Katie Webster
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 cups 1x
• Cuisine: American

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Description

This is a savory meat hash with a sweet twist. It’s made with lean ground grass-fed beef, venison or bison, and has tons of flavor and sauce. Serve with corn tortillas and shredded cabbage with lime dressing. Or wrap in lettuce or cabbage leaves for a grain-free paleo option.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef, venison or bison
• 2 teaspoons avocado oil or organic canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes or drained canned diced tomatoes
• ½ cup sliced green olives
• ¼ cup raisins
• ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves

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Instructions

1. Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add beef (venison or bison) and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until browned and no-longer pink, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet to a plate or dish.
2. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, add oil, garlic, onion and salt, and cook, stirring often until the onion is starting to soften and brown, and the garlic is fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle the onion mixture with chili powder, cinnamon, chipotle and stir to coat. Cook, stirring often until fragrant, and the spices are starting to darken, 40 to 90 seconds. Pour in broth, and stir to combine.
3. Add the beef (venison or bison), tomatoes, olives and raisins and increase heat to high. Bring to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often until the sauce is thick and reduced, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro if using.

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Notes

66 mg Cholesterol, 0 g Added Sugar

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 310
• Sugar: 10 g
• Sodium: 860 mg
• Fat: 14 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Carbohydrates: 18 g
• Fiber: 4.5 g
• Protein: 22 g

Here are some more recipes from the archives that you might like too.

Maple Chipotle Flank Steak Tacos

Bison Bolognese

Flank Steak with Tomato Herb Mop Sauce

Skinny Joes