Sloppy Joes, Slop, Sloppy Joes

What kid doesn't love sloppy joes? I was hoping that Asher would be as enthusiastic about them too.

Sloppy Joes
adapted from The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook

1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 lb ground beef
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
1 cup water
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
pepper

1. Cook onion, garlic, bell pepper, and ground beef in a large pan over medium-high heat using a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Cook about 5 minutes until meat is no longer pink.
2. Add the cider vinegar and stir a couple of times. Add the rest of the ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer, loosely covered, for about 30 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice or allergen-free biscuits (for Asher) or on buns.

The final product: delicious! These are kid and adult friendly. The taste is familiar but also a bit more mature than your average sloppy joe. I might cut the mustard down just a little to please my mustard-hating husband but really it is fairly hidden in amongst the rest of the flavors. The sauce is tangy and complex and overall delicious. This is allergen-free but good enough to be anyone's favorite sloppy joe recipe.